images

Colliding galaxies NGC 4676

by

Nasa/ESA/Novapix

Reference

a-gax46-76001

Date

2006-09-11

Located 300 million light-years away in the constellation Coma Berenices, the colliding galaxies have been nicknamed "The Mice" because of the long tails of stars and gas emanating from each galaxy. Otherwise known as NGC 4676, the pair will eventually merge into a single giant galaxy. Image obtained by the Hubble space telescope in April 2002.