Hubble Photographs: An image released by ESA from the Hubble Space Telescope looks dramatic. However, appearances are deceptive.
They go by the rather boring designations names SDSJ115331 and LEDA 2073461. In the Hubble Space Telescope image released by the European Space Agency ESA late last week, it looks like they’re about to collide. But the impression is deceptive. Hubble Photographs two overlapping galaxies.
Far apart from each other
As ESA states on its website, they do not interact with each other. They are quite far apart. The dramatic impression is due to the perspective of the telescope. The two galaxies, ESA says, could simply be ships passing each other in the night.
According to Science Alert, the two galaxies are far too neat for a collision. A collision would tear them apart.
A better understanding of spiral galaxies by Hubble Photographs
However, such recordings would make it possible to better understand spiral galaxies. When illuminated by a more distant galaxy, the foreground galaxy’s interstellar dust is easier to see.
However, the Hubble telescope, which has been in space since 1990, has also captured a number of interacting galaxies. They can be viewed on the Space Telescope’s website.