Arp 93：宇宙级的拥抱

2023年8月16日

Arp 93: A Cosmic Embrace
Image Credit & Copyright: Mike Selby, Observatorio El Sauce

Explanation: Locked in a cosmic embrace, two large galaxies are merging at the center of this sharp telescopic field of view. The interacting system cataloged as Arp 93 is some 200 million light-years distant toward the constellation Aquarius in planet Earth’s sky. Individually the galaxies are identified as NGC 7285 (right) and NGC 7284. Their bright cores are still separated by about 20,000 light-years or so, but a massive tidal stream, a result of their ongoing gravitational interaction, extends over 200,000 light-years toward the bottom of the frame. Interacting galaxies do look peculiar, but are now understood to be common in the Universe. In fact, closer to home, the large spiral Andromeda Galaxy is known to be approaching the Milky Way. Arp 93 may well present an analog of their distant future cosmic embrace.

Tomorrow’s picture: a cosmic zoo

Arp 93：宇宙级的拥抱
影像提供与版权: Mike Selby, Observatorio El Sauce

说明: 在这清片晰的望远镜视野里，二个大星系以宇宙级的拥抱锁定彼此并进行合并。这个编录号为Arp 93的交互作用系统，位在地球天空中的宝瓶座方向约2亿光年远之处。参与其中的星系之编号分别为NGC 7285（右）及NGC 7284。它们明亮的核心仍相隔约20,000光年，不过由于它们之间持续的重力互扰，产生了向视野下方伸展长度超过200,000光年的庞大潮汐流。互扰星系的外观看起来确实很奇特，但如今咸认是宇宙中很常见的景观。事实上，在离家更近的地方，螺旋状的仙女大星系正往我们的银河系靠近。而Arp 93或许是它们遥远未来的宇宙级拥抱的类似成果预告。

明日的图片: a cosmic zoo