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Credit & Copyright: Josep Drudis
Explanation:
Peculiar
spiral galaxy Arp 78 is found within the boundaries of the head strong
constellation
Aries.
Some 100 million light-years beyond the
stars and nebulae of our Milky Way galaxy,
the island universe is an enormous 200,000 light-years across.
Also
known as NGC 772,
it sports a prominent, outer spiral arm in
this
detailed cosmic portrait.
Tracking along sweeping dust lanes and
lined with
young blue star clusters, Arp 78's overdeveloped spiral arm is
pumped-up
by galactic-scale gravitational tides.
Interactions with its brightest companion galaxy,
the more compact NGC 770
seen above and right of the larger spiral, are likely responsible.
Embedded in faint star streams revealed in the deep telescopic exposure,
NGC 770's fuzzy, elliptical appearance contrasts nicely
with spiky foreground Milky Way stars in matching yellowish hues.
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NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day
Publications with keywords: interacting galaxies
Publications with words: interacting galaxies
See also: