NGC4438 is the large galaxy on the left with another smaller galaxy NGC4435 on the right. The smaller one has passed through the upper right part of the outer wing of NGC4438 about 100 million years ago. The two are part of the “Markarian Chain” of galaxies in Virgo about 40 million lys away.

The smaller one, NGC4435, is a compact barred lenticular galaxy. It is now in the background about 65,000 lys past NGC4438.

The whole region contains a dense concentration of galaxies and there is evidence that NGC4438 has had multiple encounters with some of them over the years,
including a suspected one with the giant elliptical M87. As a result its spiral shape is badly mangled and its outer regions stretched into a chaotic shape.

PlaneWave 12.5″ Astrograph with ZWO ASI 6200 camera, Astrodon filters and ASA gearless DDM-85 mount. F/8 LRGB (41/8min L, 11/8min RGB each, all 2×2 bin).