'Rose galaxies' captured by Hubble telescope

[Judi Lynn]

'Rose galaxies' captured by Hubble telescope
Friday 22 April 2011 .
NASA's Hubble space telescope celebrates its 21st birthday with the release of the stunning image of two galaxies linked by a bridge of stars, creating a "rose" of galaxies.

http://www.channel4.com.nyud.net:8090/media/images/Channel4/c4-news/APR/22/22_hubble_w2.jpg

The image shows a large spiral galaxy apparently attached to another one by a swirl of stars – a rose-like effect caused by the gravitational pull of the galaxy below it.

The sprinkling of blue jewel-like points across the top of the larger galaxy is the combined light from clusters of intensely bright and hot young blue stars. These massive stars glow fiercely in ultraviolet light.

The two galaxies, known as ARP 273, are in the Andromeda constellation 300m light years from Earth.

The picture, which was captured in December last year, shows a bridge of material between the two galaxies that are separated from each other by tens of thousands of light-years.

More:
http://www.channel4.com/news/rose-galaxies-captured-by-hubble-telescope

[bif]

1. There's a whole series of amazing photos here

http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/Hubble-Telescope-21st-Anniversary/ss/events/sc/042111hubbleanniv

[indepat]

5. Incredible. Thanks

:thumbsup:

[Judi Lynn]

7. Astonishing! Thank you. n/t

[Ship of Fools]

2. can we go there? please????

[1monster]

3. I have new wallpaper! Thanks for posting.

[jayfish]

4. I see three galaxies there.

I swear I can make out the central bar of a third galaxy in the blue, star forming, regions of the face-on galaxy. It looks like it could be gravitationally interacting with the system. Or it could be much further behind it.

[Thor_MN]

6. Aunty Em!! It's a Twister!!!

Definately not Kansas...