NGC5090

A pair of galaxies NGC 5090 - 5091 in Centaurus is shown in PR Photo
20d/99; they are located at about the same distance as ESO 269-57 and
may belong to the same cluster of galaxies.

This is an interacting elliptical-spiral system with some evidence of
tidal disruption of NGC 5091 (to the left; seen under a steep angle)
by NGC 5090 (to the right). The velocity of the nucleus of NGC 5091
has been measured as 3429 km/sec, while NGC 5090 has a velocity of
3185 km/sec. NGC 5090 is associated with a strong, double radio source
(PKS 1318-43).

This three-colour composite (BVR) was obtained with VLT ANTU and FORS1
in the morning of March 29, 1999. A bright star in the Milky Way, just
outside the field at the upper left, has produced a pattern of blue
straylight. The field size is 6.8x6.8 arcmin2. North is up and East is
to the left.

Another photo of this galaxy pair, but with a smaller field size, was
obtained with VLT KUEYEN (formerly UT2) and the VLT Test Camera at
almost exactly the same time, cf. ESO PR 07/99.