The Cosmos with NGC 6365

NGC 6365 is about 385 million light years away, with a separation of 20 million light years between the individual galaxies if their peculiar velocities are of no consequence. However, for objects at such distances we should take into account the expansion of the Universe during the time it took their light to reach us. Doing that shows that the galaxies were about 375 million light years away at the time the light by which we see them was emitted, about 380 million years ago (the difference between the two numbers being due to the expansion of the intervening space during the light-travel time). Given that and its apparent size of 1.15 by 0.85 arcmin, PGC 60174 is about 120 thousand light years across, while PGC 60171’s apparent size of 1.1 by 0.2 arcmin corresponds to about 120 to 125 thousand light years (depending upon whether it is closer or further than its apparent companion). Note: The face-on galaxy (PGC 60174) is a Seyfert galaxy.

 

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