Two galaxies whirl together in cosmic collision captured by Hubble

What does it look like when galaxies collide? The Hubble Telescope has captured a unique spectacle as two galaxies merge.

NASA says the galaxy, called NGC 1614, is about 200 million light years from Earth and is the result of “galactic fusion” that has created a unique appearance. They call it “eccentrically shaped” and “inflamed with activity” in a statement on NASA website. It is found in the constellation Eridanus.

The result of the cosmic collision is a flow of interstellar gas from the smaller galaxy into the core of the larger one, “resulting in a star-forming explosion that started in the core and slowly spread toward the outside across the galaxy, ”says NASA.

Astronomers say NGC 1614 is one of the brightest objects in the local universe.