| ESO 69-6 | |
| Constellation Name: | Triangulum Australe |
| Z: | 0.046439 |
| H Radial V: | 14,082 km/s |
| Dist Ly: | 654 Mly (200.6 Mpc) |
| Appmag V: | 16.16 |
| Type: | LIRG |
| Notes: | Interacting galaxies |
| Names: | ESO 069-IG 006, PGC 58663, AM 1633-682, 2MASX J16381190-6826080, IRAS 16330-6820, 2MASS J16381342-6827167, CXO J163813.4-682717 |
| Epoch: | J2000 |
ESO 69-6 collectively known as AM 1633-682,[1] is a pair of interacting galaxies located 654 million light-years away in the constellation of Triangulum Australe. They are made of two galaxies: ESO 069-IG 006N known as IRAS 16330-6820,[2] and ESO 069-IG 006S known as LEDA 285730.[3]
Both galaxies are in stages of merging with each other.[4] They resemble musical notes on a stave.[5] Long tidal tails are formed, which stars and gas are stripped and torn away from their outer regions.[6] These tails are proven signs of their interactions. Additionally numerical simulations that reproduces interaction-induced inflow of gas and resulting nuclear starbursts can, might trigger strong starbursts in both galaxies.[7]
It is proven from the gravitational interactions of ESO 69–6, the surrounding intergalactic medium can be enriched with metals very efficiently up to distances of several 100 kpc.[8] This can be explained in terms of indirect processes or direct processes that create kinetic spreading of baryonic matter. Possibly, they will eventually merge with each other and form a much bigger galaxy, in this case an elliptical galaxy, in the future.[9] [10]