Posted on 08/09/2019 4:46:09 PM PDT by simpson96
Aug. 9 (UPI) -- NASA shared an image, recently captured by Hubble, of the galactic duo UGC 2369 on Friday. The image showcases the pair caught in a playful dance.
Long, long ago, the galaxies were separate, but today, they are in the midst of colliding. Slowly, their mutual gravitational attraction is pulling them closer and closer. As they've become entwined, gravity has distorted their features, altering their appearances.
"A tenuous bridge of gas, dust and stars can be seen connecting the two galaxies, created when they pulled material out into space across the diminishing divide between them," NASA wrote in a news release.
Still, despite their contortions and shared name, the two galactic entities remain visibly distinct. Millions of years from now, however, the pair will be almost completely enjoined.
No galaxy can persist on its own for very long, relatively speaking -- interactions are inevitable.
For large galaxies like the Milky Way, galactic interactions typically involved small neighbors. Over the last few billion years, the Milky Way has absorbed several of its neighbors.
For big galaxies, such interactions cause minimal structural disruption. Interactions with dwarf galaxies are relatively common.
"But every few billion years, a more momentous event can occur," according to NASA. "For our home galaxy, the next big event will take place in about four billion years, when it will collide with its bigger neighbor, the Andromeda galaxy. Over time, the two galaxies will likely merge into one -- already nicknamed Milkomeda."
(Excerpt) Read more at upi.com ...
I had to look it up:
http://www.sci-news.com/astronomy/hubble-interacting-galaxies-ugc-2369-07457.html
“Also known as KPG 82 and Z 0251.2+1446, this galactic duo is located approximately 424 million light-years away from Earth in the constellation Aries.”
A key fact left out of the UPI article.
Can’t wait until we get the Stargate up and running.
Said one Tasmanian to another...
She is right if there was no magnetism.
Hera must’ve had Dolly Parton-sized breasts.
Astronomy has gotten good enough we should have, or be making, very long time lapse movies of interstellar events. Say, light from a nova take a year to propagate across & reflect off a dust cloud, or watch a rapid expansion of a new nebula.
Or even bigger if you could imagine.......Han Solo.....I don’t know....I can imagine quite a lot. :)
Nothing like science being discussed by a journalist.
Ok, then the age of trilobites, sea scorpions and giant armored fish!
it’s the drugs...
Thanks. I could watch that all night.
L
Ooh, nice!
cue the TV “Batman” theme.
Looks like a dance to some Punk Rock....none of the participants look like Galaxies though...
My pleasure.
For a long time astronomers did not realize that our galaxy was not the only one.
Definitely an improvement.
I might propose “Lactodromeda”.
OK, no drugs tonight, I still see the current Jack face.
maybe it’s me
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.