A Galactic Spectacle
NASA image release August 5, 2010
A beautiful new image of two colliding galaxies has been released by NASA's Great Observatories. The Antennae galaxies, located about 62 million light-years from Earth, are shown in this composite image from the Chandra X-ray Observatory (blue), the Hubble Space Telescope (gold and brown), and the Spitzer Space Telescope (red). The Antennae galaxies take their name from the long antenna-like "arms," seen in wide-angle views of the system. These features were produced by tidal forces generated in the collision.
The collision, which began more than 100 million years ago and is still occurring, has triggered the formation of millions of stars in clouds of dusts and gas in the galaxies. The most massive of these young stars have already sped through their evolution in a few million years and exploded as supernovas.
The X-ray image from Chandra shows huge clouds of hot, interstellar gas that have been injected with rich deposits of elements from supernova explosions. This enriched gas, which includes elements such as oxygen, iron, magnesium, and silicon, will be incorporated into new generations of stars and planets. The bright, point-like sources in the image are produced by material falling onto black holes and neutron stars that are remnants of the massive stars. Some of these black holes may have masses that are almost one hundred times that of the Sun.
The Spitzer data show infrared light from warm dust clouds that have
been heated by newborn stars, with the brightest clouds lying in the
overlapping region between the two galaxies.
The Hubble data reveal old stars and star-forming regions in gold and
white, while filaments of dust appear in brown. Many of the fainter
objects in the optical image are clusters containing thousands of
stars.
The Chandra image was taken in December 1999. The Spitzer image was taken in December 2003. The Hubble image was taken in July 2004, and February 2005.
To read more go to: www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/chandra/multimedia/antennae.html
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center is home to the nation's largest organization of combined scientists, engineers and technologists that build spacecraft, instruments and new technology to study the Earth, the sun, our solar system, and the universe.
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Credit: NASA, ESA, SAO, CXC, JPL-Caltech, and STScI
Acknowledgment: G. Fabbiano and Z. Wang (Harvard-Smithsonian CfA), and B. Whitmore (STScI)
![Solar Storm on August 1, 2010 as seen by STEREO [HD Video]](http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4094/4869880168_dba25d3577_s.jpg)
Comments and faves
Larch, ElDave, Colibrí, Picture Books, and 410 other people added this photo to their favorites.
Colibrí (34 months ago | reply)
Super WOOOW!!!
I love the colors!!!!
sashacatgrl (34 months ago | reply)
Stunningly gorgeous!
Pontus_GBG (34 months ago | reply)
Impressive!!!! Imagine all civilizations over there...Wow! Just imagine to travel to a place like that. To see that in real life!
Nathan Allworth (34 months ago | reply)
I hope we go there someday! I sometimes feel I was born in the wrong time...
*effe_effe* [frutti freschi] (34 months ago | reply)
this is why I like science!
Severin K (34 months ago | reply)
what are the chances?
Kuwait Zaizafoon is busy the next few months [deleted] (34 months ago | reply)
i could be looking at a thousand civilizations.. each with a being very similar to me .. surfing the internet maybe ^^ .. something like that ?
humans will live in space one day.... we could use energy from the sun and fly around in self sufficient ships !!!
....Take me away.... if that works !!!! ....It won't be in our lifetime ???
...< [deleted] (34 months ago | reply)
Beautiful
I is (34 months ago | reply)
too bad about all that dust obscuring the view, but it does make the picture more dramatic
gonzalomartinelli (34 months ago | reply)
Amazing
Flannol (34 months ago | reply)
Absolutely stunning, it's hard to come to terms with the fact that this is a photograph!
tessgandeza (34 months ago | reply)
Wow..amazing.....but what would be the effect of that on us...climate change
timington (34 months ago | reply)
incredible
AnnWhit (34 months ago | reply)
This is just amazing,
ALavertu (34 months ago | reply)
its like the galaxy collapse ..nice fireworks ....star end in red and yellow fire ;)
writtersrightword (34 months ago | reply)
Outstanding! Science is so amazing.
msamaclean ©...be back soon!...;-) (34 months ago | reply)
Fabulous!!!!!!
Hoshinokun (34 months ago | reply)
wow...im speechless!
deadheading (34 months ago | reply)
mind blowing !!
Caity, c.s.k. [deleted] (34 months ago | reply)
That is amazing!
Soleil is me. (34 months ago | reply)
Bravo! Greeting from Bangkok, The incredible work of the week:)
Happy to join my group:-
SPLENDID IMAGE... YOUR IS THE BEST, BY AN ADMIN CONSIDERED.
INSPIRE Invite ONLY
You are INVITED to display this wonderful photo
in the INSPIRE Pool
Be happy and hugs someone:)
Danny_1981 (34 months ago | reply)
WOW....
--
Seen in the interestingness archives. (?)
klefto (34 months ago | reply)
this is amazing. thanks for sharing.
wenfilo (34 months ago | reply)
How beautiful!!!!
Olympe B. (34 months ago | reply)
Absolutely amazing!!!!
hipydeus (34 months ago | reply)
fantastic!
Gildas Paraiso (34 months ago | reply)
Superb Shot!
Love it.
Have a great day.
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T.D. Photographe (34 months ago | reply)
Waouh ! Magnifique !
Σταύρος (34 months ago | reply)
Beautiful colision ...;)
chelsea▼naomi [deleted] (34 months ago | reply)
beautiful.
MAS QUE UNA IMAGEN UN SENTIMIENTO.... (34 months ago | reply)
that most spectacular fotogarfia
blackcoffee2008 (34 months ago | reply)
wow!
Boris Mitendorfer Photography (33 months ago | reply)
Simply stunning!
finny_1603 /back with new PC :o) (33 months ago | reply)
Wunderschön :o)
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joekay61 (28 months ago | reply)
Very fetal!