"A Look to the Heavens"

"Spiral galaxies NGC 5426 and NGC 5427, which are passing perilously close to each other, but each is likely to survive the collision. Most frequently when galaxies collide, according to NASA experts, a large galaxy eats a much smaller galaxy. In this case, however, the two galaxies are quite similar, each being a sprawling spiral with expansive arms and a compact core.

Close inspection of the above image taken by the 8-meter Gemini-South Telescope in Chile shows a bridge of material momentarily connecting the two giants. Known collectively as Arp 271, the interacting pair spans about 130,000 light years and lies about 90 million light-years away toward the constellation of Virgo."
Credit & Copyright: Gemini Observatory, GMOS-South, NSW. http://apod.nasa.gov

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