Three Galaxy Pairs
Image Credit & Copyright:
Image Credit & Copyright:
Rafael Sampaio
Each of these pairs of galaxies is different.
The two
galaxies at the top are likely
not interacting, at least presently.
However, the top galaxy with the blue stripe,
NGC 4650A, is a
polar ring galaxy and may be the result of a past
galaxy collision.
The two galaxies in the middle of the
featured image appear like they could be
interacting gravitationally -- but their
relative speeds make this unlikely.
Of these two, the larger galaxy,
NGC 4650, is a
spiral galaxy with a
bright bar of stars across its center.
The two galaxies at the bottom are
actively interacting.
Possibly in a billion years or so, NGC 4622A and NGC 4622B will
merge and become one single galaxy.
All of these galaxies are likely members of the larger
Centaurus Galaxy Cluster.