NGC 6240

Alt. Designations: NGC 6240
Object Type: elliptic galaxy
Constellation: Ophiuchus
Distance: 400 mly
Right Ascension: 16h 52m 58.8s
Declination: +02° 24´ 11"
Visual Magnitude: 12.8
Apparent Dimension: 2.1´ X 1.0´
Best Month To View: Jun

NGC 6240 is a well-studied nearby ultraluminous infrared galaxy (ULIRG) in the constellation Ophiuchus. The galaxy is the remnant of a merger between two smaller galaxies. The collision between the two progenitor galaxies has resulted in a single larger galaxy with two distinct nuclei and a highly disturbed structure, including faint extensions and loops.