APOD: 2016 February 10 - Galaxies in the River (original) (raw)

Astronomy Picture of the Day

Discover the cosmos!Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer.

2016 February 10

Galaxies in the River
Image Credit &Copyright: CEDIC Team - Processing: Markus Blauensteiner

Explanation: Large galaxies grow by eating small ones.Even our own galaxy practices galacticcannibalism, absorbing small galaxies that get too close and are captured by the Milky Way's gravity. In fact, the practice is common in the universe and illustrated by this striking pair of interacting galaxies from the banks of the southern constellationEridanus,The River. Located over 50 million light years away, the large, distorted spiral NGC 1532 is seen locked in agravitational struggle with dwarf galaxy NGC 1531 (right of center), a struggle the smaller galaxy will eventually lose. Seen edge-on, spiral NGC 1532 spans about 100,000 light-years. Nicely detailedin this sharp image, the NGC 1532/1531 pair is thought to be similar to the well-studied system of face-on spiral and small companionknown as M51.

Tomorrow's picture: adventures in spacetime

Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff(MTU) &Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
NASA Official: Phillip NewmanSpecific rights apply.
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