The view was delivered by the Hubble Space Telescope

Sep 22, 2015 18:50 GMT  ·  By

Just yesterday, astronomers at the European Space Agency released a glorious view of galaxies in the distant cosmos. The image, available below, was delivered by the Hubble Space Telescope some time ago, in 2009. 

At first glance, the space view seems to show two galaxies connected by an odd-looking blue stream. Except this isn't really the case.

There are more than two galaxies in this view

As it turns out, the upper part of the image doesn't show just one big galaxy. Rather, there are two merging galaxies on the left and then another one to the right.

The merging galaxies are somewhat deformed, and so their shape isn't easy to distinguish. Their bright centers, however, stand out and become obvious at a closer look.

As for the smaller splotch found near the duo, in the upper right of the image, European Space Agency astronomers say it is a spiral galaxy that goes by the name of SDSSCGB.

Together, the three galaxies are part of a group known as Arp 194. This collection of galaxies lies some 600 million light-years from Earth in the constellation of Cepheus.

As for the lower part of the image, it shows another spiral galaxy known as PGC 101374.

The blue stream is an optical illusion too

It might look like the merging pair and the spiral galaxy just below are connected by the odd-looking blue stream, but this isn't really what's happening in this space image.

Rather, the pair and spiral galaxy PGC 101374 are quite far and so aren't connected in any way. Instead, the blue stream, said to be about 100,000 light-years long, is an appendage of sorts to the merging duo.

Astronomers say it formed from dust and gas stirred up by the merger. It is home to millions of newborn stars, which explains why it appears blue in this image.

“The stream is some 100,000 light-years long, and made up of gas, dust and many millions of newborn stars. They are mostly young, hot and massive, a combination that causes them to emit blue light,” scientists say.

There are four galaxies in this space image
There are four galaxies in this space image

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The Hubble Space Telescope
There are four galaxies in this space image
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