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Hubble image of Arp 321, also known as Hickson 40.

This group of galaxies include three spiral galaxies, an elliptical galaxy, and a lenticular (lens-like) galaxy. The group is so compact it could fit within a region of space that is less than twice the diameter of our Milky Way's disk.

Credit: NASA, ESA, STScI, A. Pagan
Source: science.nasa.gov/asset/hubble/…

#ArpGalaxy #Galaxy #Space #Astronomy #Hubble

Five galaxies appear close to each other in the sky. At upper left, a spiral galaxy is tilted, appearing wider than it is tall. It has a glowing yellow center and reddish-brown dust trails that spiral clockwise around it. Above the center is a large elliptical galaxy. Its round, glowing yellow center is surrounded by a fuzzy yellow halo that fades away from the core. Toward the bottom right are three galaxies that appear to touch. The largest is in the center: a nearly vertical, edge-on spiral galaxy. Its glowing yellow core is mostly obscured by reddish-brown dust trails dotted with blue stars. To its bottom left is a smaller, tilted spiral galaxy with a glowing yellow center. Reddish-brown dust trails are dotted with blue stars. One spiral arm appears to touch the vertical galaxy to its right. At the spiral’s bottom right is a lenticular galaxy with a glowing central core in the middle of a hazy yellow disk, appearing almost face-on. It seems to touch the large spiral galaxy above it.

Hickson Compact Group 40 - NASA Science

NASA is celebrating the Hubble Space Telescope's 32nd birthday with a stunning look at an unusual close-knit collection of five galaxies, called The Hickson Compact Group 40.
Andrea Gianopoulos (NASA Science)
#Space #astronomy #galaxy #arpgalaxy #hubble
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