Cosmic Collision
Posted By Barry Ritholtz On January 5, 2013 @ 8:00 am In Science,Weekend | Comments Disabled
The unusual form seen here is the result of a cosmic collision with a smaller galaxy which plunged right through the heart of the larger and shot out the other side. As the smaller galaxy passed through the middle it set up gravitational ripples that disrupted the clouds of gas and triggered the formation of new stars whose radiation then lit up the remaining gas.
Source: hubblesite.org [1] via Buzzfeed [2]
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URL to article: http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/2013/01/cosmic-collision/
URLs in this post:
[1] hubblesite.org: http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/archive/releases/2012/2012/45/image/a/results/100/
[2] Buzzfeed: http://www.buzzfeed.com/donnad/18-astounding-hubble-photos-released-in-2012
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