NGC 5981, 5982 and 5985, are collectively known as the Draco triplet.
These galaxies may not be related and the triplet may be a purely optical effect. NGC 5985 is 120 million light years away, NGC 5982 130 million years and the small edge on NGC 5981 is approximately 100 million light years away. NGC 5981 is a small dwarf galaxy.
NGC 5985 is an almost face on spiral classified as a Seyfert type 1 galaxy with an active black hole at its nucleus.
NGC 5982 is classified as an elliptical galaxy class E3. Deep images from Spitzer have revealed shells surrounding it which are the result of a merger with another galaxy.
Imaged in LRGB at DSOC Texas on our CDK 17
Integration Time: 26 hours
Image Processing: Mike Selby