Stephan's Quintet as imaged by the Gemini North

Stephan's Quintet as imaged by the Gemini Observatory using the Multi-Object Spectrograph on Gemini North. The interacting members of the cluster are almost 300 million light years away. The galaxy NGC 7320 (top–center) is thought by most astronomers to be in the foreground (about 8 times closer) and is distinguished in this image by multiple red blobs indicating hydrogen clouds where stars are forming.

See Image Release for details Technical Details: Acquisition
Date(s): August 12, 2004
Telescope: Gemini North, Mauna Kea Hawai'i
Instrument: GMOS (Gemini Multi-Object Spectrograph)
Field of View: 4.86 x 4.07 arcminutes
Orientation: North=bottom, East=Right