RE: Hoag's object
November 19, 2015 at 5:59 pm
(This post was last modified: November 19, 2015 at 6:09 pm by mediocrates.)
This site mentions that the ring and core were determined to have the same velocity/redshift and that the gap is not empty. Also, if the similar looking background object was the same distance as hoag's it would be enormous compared to the stars, so it would have to be a tiny (relatively) galaxy made of stellar sized objects. Hoag's gravity would rip it apart.
http://heritage.stsci.edu/2002/21/lucas_...lucas.html
I have noticed that there is very little information about the background object and the probability of such an alignment. Hoag's is a fascinating object...
http://heritage.stsci.edu/2002/21/lucas_...lucas.html
Quote:The key facts from Schweizer's study are that there is luminous material in the apparent gap between the nucleus and the ring, that the core or nucleus is a normal spheroidal galaxy with a normal radial light profile for its type (a so-called r^1/4 profile), that the nucleus and ring have essentially the same recessional velocity or redshift and are therefore physically associated,
I have noticed that there is very little information about the background object and the probability of such an alignment. Hoag's is a fascinating object...
