This cosmic collision is a coming collectively of two giant spiral galaxies, however in case you look rigorously you would possibly see two smaller galaxies which can be additionally concerned. The big galaxy within the high half of the image is NGC 7734, whereas the opposite, distorted, galaxy is NGC 7733. Each have had their spiral arms unwrapped, with NGC 7733 particularly forming a warped ring galaxy with a lens or bar within the center. On NGC 7733’s blue ring of stars is a noticeable brilliant knot. This can be a third galaxy, NGC 7733N, which lies between us and NGC 7733. It’s interacting with NGC 7733, and could also be partially in charge for the ring construction (this usually types when a smaller galaxy passes by a bigger galaxy). As for the fourth galaxy, it’s the sliver of sunshine to the lower-left.
Ultraviolet observations recommend that it’s related to NGC 7733 by a river of sizzling fuel, though this has but to be confirmed through redshift measurements. All 4 galaxies, that are 500 million mild years away, are interacting and can ultimately merge to kind one big elliptical galaxy. In 2021 a examine revealed within the journal Astronomy and Astrophysics, utilizing knowledge from the Very Massive Telescope’s MUSE (Multi Unit Spectroscopic Explorer) instrument and near-infrared observations from the South African Astronomical Observatory, indicated that NGC 7733b comprises an energetic galactic nucleus (AGN) known as a Low Ionisation Nuclear Emission-line Area (LINER), whereas each NGC 7734 and NGC 7733N comprise Seyfert AGN. That makes this method, collectively generally known as Arp–Madore 2339-661, a uncommon triple AGN. When the galaxies all merge, the supermassive black holes on the coronary heart of those AGN can even merge.
This picture of the galaxies is a composite taken by the Hubble Area Telescope’s Superior Digital camera for Surveys and the Darkish Power Digital camera on the Victor M. Blanco four-metre telescope in
Chile.
