Hubble observes galactic distortion :: NASANET

Galaxy NGC 5427 shines in this new image from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope. It is part of the Arp 271 galaxy pair, and its companion NGC 5426 lies below this galaxy and outside the frame of this image. However, the effects of the pair’s gravitational pull are visible in the galactic distortion and space bridge of stars visible in the lower right of the image.

In 1785, British astronomer William Herschel discovered a pair in an interaction that would last tens of millions of years. It is not yet known whether they will eventually collide and merge, but their mutual gravitational attraction has already given birth to many new stars. These young stars are visible in the faint bridge connecting the two galaxies at the bottom of the image. This bridge allows the two galaxies to continue sharing gas and dust, which become new stars. Scientists believe Arp 271 could serve as a model for future interactions between our Milky Way and our neighbor, the Andromeda Galaxy, which are expected to occur in about 4 billion years.