ESO 576-69 in Virgo: The messy result of a galactic collision | Hubble

ESO 576-69 in Virgo: The messy result of a galactic collision | Hubble

This image from the NASA/European Space Agency Hubble Space Telescope captures an ongoing cosmic collision between two galaxies—a spiral galaxy is in the process of colliding with a lenticular galaxy. The collision looks almost as if it is popping out of the screen in 3D with parts of the spiral arms clearly embracing the lenticular galaxy’s bulge. A lenticular, meaning "lens-shaped," galaxy occupies an intermediate position between elliptical and spiral galaxies in the Hubble Classification scheme.

The image also reveals further evidence of the collision. There is a bright stream of stars coming out from the merging galaxies, extending out towards the right of the image. The bright spot in the middle of the plume, known as ESO 576-69, is what makes this image unique. This spot is believed to be the nucleus of the former spiral galaxy that was ejected from the system during the collision and is now being shredded by tidal forces to produce the visible stellar stream.

Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA
Acknowledgement: Luca Limatola
Release Date: May 27, 2013

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