A fascinating image of three galaxies colliding with each other in the farthest regions of outer space has been released by NASA.
Captured by the Hubble Space Telescope, the remarkable snapshot shows in clearer detail than ever how the galaxies, which are 684 light-years away from Earth, are in the process of merging with each other, as well as the impact this incredible collision is having on the surrounding space.
Known officially as merger event IC 2431, the collision of the three galaxies has intrigued astronomers for decades, with the event first recorded more than a century ago on February 24 1896.
Advert
As Newsweek reports, the new image is being published by NASA almost 126 years to the day since Stephane Javelle made his discovery, and shows not only the shape of the galaxies themselves, but also the swirls of dust and newly-formed stars within.
'The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope has captured what appears to be a triple galaxy merger in progress, as well as a tumultuous mixture of star formation and tidal distortions caused by the gravitational interactions of this galactic trio,' the space agency said in a statement.
'A thick cloud of dust obscures the center of this image – though the light from a background galaxy is piercing its outer extremities.'
Advert
The IC 2431 image was part of a series of observations of distant galaxies made as part of the Galaxy Zoo project, described by NASA as 'the largest galaxy census ever carried out'.
The project involved more than 100,000 volunteers who used images captured by the Hubble to classify more than 900,000 previously unexamined galaxies.
As unusual as it is for us to see such a collision in action, astronomers believe that many of the universe's galaxies were actually formed this way, through mergers between smaller systems.
Advert
According to the Harvard Centre for Astrophysics, around a quarter of all galaxies are involved in at least one merger event, which sees them exchange stars, gas and other matter.
Scientists hope that studying merger events like IC 2431 will help them better understand how this process takes place, allowing them to learn more about how other galaxies, including our own, came to be all those billions of years ago.
And while we won't be around to see it, it could help scientists understand what it will look like when our own galaxy, the Milky Way, eventually collides with its nearest neighbour, Andromeda in four billion years time.
If you have a story you want to tell, send it to UNILAD via [email protected]
Topics: Science, Space, Technology
Hannah Smith