NGC 4490: The Cocoon Galaxy
Taken by Tom Wildoner on January 20, 2026 @
Weatherly, PA, USA
Click photo for larger image
| |
Camera Used: Unavailable Unavailable
Exposure Time: Unavailable
Aperture: Unavailable
ISO: Unavailable
Date Taken: 2026:02:06 11:32:24
|
|
| More images
Details:
NGC 4490, widely known as the Cocoon Galaxy, is a remarkable barred spiral galaxy located approximately 25 million light-years away in the constellation Canes Venatici. It is most famous for its intense gravitational interaction with its smaller companion, the irregular galaxy NGC 4485, with which it forms the system Arp 269. This cosmic "dance" has severely distorted NGC 4490's original spiral structure, stretching its outer regions into a cocoon-like shape and triggering a massive starburst—a period of exceptionally high star formation. Recent observations by the James Webb Space Telescope have revealed a 24,000 light-year-long bridge of gas and stars connecting the two galaxies, as well as a rare double nucleus within NGC 4490 itself. This double core suggests that the galaxy may have been the result of an even earlier merger, making it a crucial laboratory for astronomers studying how galaxies evolve through collisions.
Quick Facts
Constellation: Canes Venatici
Distance: ~25 million light-years
Classification: Barred Spiral (SBcd)/Starburst
Nickname: Cocoon Galaxy
Companion: NGC 4485
Discovery: William Herschel (1788)
Tech Specs: Meade 12” LX-90 SCT Telescope, Antares Focal Reducer, ZWO ASI2600MC camera running at -20F, 2h 14m using 60 second subs, Celestron CGX-L pier mounted, ZWO EAF and ASIAir Pro, processed in DSS/PixInsight. Image Date: January 20, 2026. Location: The Dark Side Observatory (W59), Weatherly, PA, USA (Bortle Class 4).
Photographer's website:
https://www.thedarksideobservatory.com
|
|
|
