Arp 272
Credit: NASA, ESA, Hubble Heritage (STScI / AURA) - ESA/Hubble Collaboration, K. Noll (STScI)
Posted on 04/30/2008 3:57:48 PM PDT by sig226
Explanation: Linking spiral arms, two large colliding galaxies are featured in this Hubble Space Telescope view, part of a series of cosmic snapshots released to celebrate the Hubble's 18th anniversary. Recorded in astronomer Halton Arp's Atlas of Peculiar Galaxies as Arp 272, the pair is otherwise known as NGC 6050 and IC 1179. They lie some 450 million light-years away in the Hercules Galaxy Cluster. At that estimated distance, the picture spans over 150 thousand light-years. Although this scenario does look peculiar, galaxy collisions and their eventual mergers are now understood to be common, with Arp 272 representing a stage in this inevitable process. In fact, the nearby large spiral Andromeda Galaxy is known to be approaching our own galaxy and Arp 272 may offer a glimpse of the far future collision between Andromeda and the Milky Way.
We're doomed!
The stars are about gone for the summer. They’ll be back in about four months so in the meantime we’re relying on the Picture of the Day to keep us reminded that there are stars somewhere out there.
amazing!
I’ve never thought of that but that would definitely be one thing that would suck about living where you do.
Amateur astronomy is kind of hard to do here. Some try but possibilities are very limited.
I lived in northern Michigan for a while and the nights were amazing. Kinda like when I was a kid.
If the stars ever came out like that here I would be lost. I would have to learn the constellations all over again. Might be worth the inconvenience.
WOW!
Bring it on!! We could use a good 'cleansing', if you see it coming, just lean into it!
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