The Hubble Space Telescope has spotted two ‘squabbling’ galaxies that are locked in a cosmic dance — one that can only end in one of two dramatic ways.
Experts from European Space Agency (ESA), said that either the smaller one or its neighbor will engulf it, or both.
The larger barred spiral galaxy is known as NGC 7753 and seemingly attached to one of its spiral arms is its smaller companion, dubbed NGC 7752.
The Pegasus constellation, which is 220 million light years away from Earth, contains the pair.
Two ‘squabbling’ galaxies have been spotted by the Hubble Space Telescope that are locked in a cosmic dance — one which can only end in one of two dramatic ways. Experts from European Space Agency said that either the smaller one or the larger one will be engulfed and tossed into intergalactic spaces. Pictured: NGC 7753 and the smaller NGC 7752
ESA officials stated that the tiny companion galaxy almost appears to be attached to NGC 7753.
They explained that this identifier signifies that the pair of galaxies ‘appears’ in the Atlas of Peculiar Galaxies, which was compiled by Halton Arp in 1966.
NGC 7752: The gravitational squabble among the galaxies is doomed.
“It will eventually either be flung into intergalactic spaces or completely engulfed in space by its far bigger neighbour.”
Hubble has been observing Arp 86 as part of a broader effort to learn more about the connections between young stars and the cold clouds of gas in which they form.
This investigation has seen Hubble focussed on star clusters and clouds of dust and gas across a variety of different environments found within nearby galaxies — including both NGC 7752 and NGC 7753.
Hubble (pictured above) has been observing Arp 86 as a part of a larger effort at learning more about the connections among young stars and cold clouds of gases in which they form.
ESA explained that Hubble observations, together with measurements from ALMA (a huge radio telescope perched high above the Chilean Andes), provide astronomers with a treasure trove data to help them understand how stars are formed.
Hubble and ALMA’s efforts here are also serving to pave the way for research by Hubble’s spiritual successor — the NASA/ESA James Webb Space Telescope.
This space observatory, which will launch in December, will also study star formation in dusty regions of galaxies such as NGC7752 and NGC7753.
NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope, which was launched in 1990, is still operational and has made more that 1.3 million observations.
The Hubble telescope launched via Discovery, a spaceship from Kennedy Space Centre in Florida, on April 24, 1990.
It is named after Edwin Hubble, a famed astronomer who was born in Missouri in 1889.
He is most well-known for discovering the speed at which the universe expands – now called the Hubble constant.
The Hubble telescope is named after famed astronomer Edwin Hubble who was born in Missouri in 1889 (pictured)
Hubble has made more than 1.3 million observations since its mission began in 1990 and helped publish more than 15,000 scientific papers.
It orbits Earth at 17,000mph (27.300kph) in low Earth orbit at approximately 340 miles altitude.
Hubble’s pointing accuracy is.007 arc second, which is equivalent to being able shine a laser beam on Franklin D. Roosevelt’s head from a dime 200 miles (320 km) away.
The Hubble telescope is named in honor of Edwin Hubble, who was responsible for the Hubble constant. He is one the greatest astronomers of all time.
Hubble’s primary mirror is 2.4 meters (7 feet, 10.5 inches) across and in total is 13.3 meters (43.5 feet) long – the length of a large school bus.
Hubble’s April 1990 launch and deployment marked the most significant advancement in astronomy since Galileo’s telescope.
Five servicing missions and over 25 years of operation have changed our perception of the universe and our role within it.