Galaxy Collisions Dominate the Local Universe

The panels show several of the newly found galaxy collisions in the nearby universe, using the NOAO Deep Wide-Field Survey (NDWFS) and the Multiwavelength Survey by Yale/Chile (MUSYC). The collisions (occurring in different galaxy pairs) are seen in different stages of the merger process, which taken together show the sequence that occurs. In (a) and (b) [top left and top right], the galaxies are still separated, but huge tidal forces of gravity are already at work pulling stars from the galaxies into enormous broad fans that stretch hundreds of thousands of light-years in space. In (c) and (d) [bottom left and bottom right], the colliding galaxies have merged into single, larger galaxies. The violent past of these galaxies can be inferred from the tidal "debris" that still surrounds the newly formed galaxies.Images (a), (b), and (d) are from the NDWFS; image (c) is from MUSYC.

Créditos:

P. van Dokkum/Yale University and NOAO/AURA/NSF

About the Image

Id:noao0511a
Tipo:Collage
Release date:6 de Diciembre de 2005
Related releases:noao0511
Related announcements:noaoann05028
Size:2421 x 2421 px

Sobre el Objeto

Categoría:Galaxies

Formatos de Imágenes

Large JPEGLarge JPEG
2,3 MB
Screensize JPEGScreensize JPEG
507,6 KB

Zoomable


Fondos de Pantalla

1024x7681024x768
518,4 KB
1280x10241280x1024
783,1 KB
1600x12001600x1200
1021,7 KB
1920x12001920x1200
1,1 MB
2048x15362048x1536
4,5 MB