Hubble Space Telescope reveals rare and fascinating view of six different colliding galaxies

Come together and let me tell you about birds, bees, and galaxies. Sometimes two galaxies encounter amazing fallout, including a star mutation. NASA and the European Space Agency gave us at the Hubble Space Telescope six rare observations of galaxy mergers, and each of them is a winner.

The European Space Agency released the images to mark the start of 2021. “These systems are excellent laboratories for tracking star cluster formation under difficult physical conditions.” The agency said in a statement Thursday. Constellations are exactly what they look like: constellations.

All galaxies are showing signs of their wild past. The European Space Agency describes NGC 3256 as a special and distorted galaxy. NGC 3690 is a “supernova factory”, and the NGC 6052 image shows two galaxies still in a state of collision.

An Investigation of Extreme Environments and Clustering Imagery (HiPEEC) that cut through images focused on star clusters in galaxies and what happens to them when host systems merge. Collisions feed on the formation of new stars, which increases the birth rate of stars.

NASA Unveils 30 Stunning New Space Photos For Epic Memories

See all photos

“The Milky Way galaxy typically forms star clusters 10,000 times more massive than our solar mass,” said the European Space Agency. “It is not comparable to the masses of star clusters formed when galaxies collide, which can reach millions of times our solar mass.”

HiPEEC researchers have found that large star clusters in compact galaxies remain extremely bright even after the collision has been exploited. While mergers can be dramatic for the galaxies in question, observers on Earth can safely expect impressive results thanks to Hubble’s keen eyes.

Follow after 2021 space calendar for CNET Stay up to date with the latest space news this year. You can even add it to your Google Calendar.