[6/30, 19:46] Suri Jio: NGC 218 (also known as UGC 480 and PGC 2720) is a spiral galaxy located at a distance of nearly 500 million light-years in the constellation of Andromeda. It was discovered on the 17th of October 1876 by Edouard Stephan.
Observations revealed that NGC 218 is interacting with its nearby PGC 2726 (also known as UGC 480W). Due to this, its structure is distorted and it is around 220,000 light-years across.
PGC 2726 is a lenticular galaxy, and from its distance, astronomers estimated it is about 115,000 light-years across. PGC 2726 and NGC 218 are known as KPG 16.
Finally, one supernova has been discovered in PGC 2727. This is known as SN 2006mo, and observations revealed it was a type Ia event.
Image: Composite optical image of NGC 218 and PGC 2726 taken with the 32-inch Schulman Telescope at Mount Lemmon SkyCentre in Arizona. It was created using broadband filters (RGB). NGC 218 can be seen on the right, while PGC 2726 on the left. Due to the interaction, dynamic distortions are evident on the spiral structure of NGC 218.
Image Credit: Adam Block/Mount Lemmon SkyCenter/University of Arizona
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