Crash in progress
Arp 256 is a stunning system of two spiral galaxies, about 350 million light-years away, in an early stage of merging. The image, taken with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, displays two galaxies with strongly distorted shapes and an astonishing number of blue knots of star formation that look like exploding fireworks. The star formation was triggered by the close interaction between the two galaxies.
This image was taken by Hubble’s Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) and the Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3). It is a new version of an image already released in 2008 that was part a large collection of 59 images of merging galaxies taken for Hubble’s 18th anniversary.
Credit:ESA/Hubble, NASA
About the Image
| Id: | heic1805a |
|---|---|
| Type: | Observation |
| Release date: | 8 March 2018, 16:00 |
| Related releases: | heic1805 |
| Size: | 3343 x 3249 px |
About the Object
| Name: | Arp 256 |
|---|---|
| Type: | Early Universe : Galaxy : Type : Interacting |
| Distance: | 350 million light years |
| Constellation: | Cetus |
| Category: | Galaxies |
Coordinates
| Position (RA): | 0 18 50.33 |
|---|---|
| Position (Dec): | -10° 22' 3.31" |
| Field of view: | 2.79 x 2.71 arcminutes |
| Orientation: | North is 30.0° left of vertical |
View in ESASky:
View in WorldWide Telescope:
Colours & filters
| Band | Wavelength | Telescope |
|---|---|---|
| Optical B | 435 nm |
Hubble Space Telescope
ACS |
| Optical B | 435 nm |
Hubble Space Telescope
ACS |
| Optical I | 814 nm |
Hubble Space Telescope
ACS |
| Optical SII | 673 nm |
Hubble Space Telescope
WFC3 |
| Optical I | 814 nm |
Hubble Space Telescope
ACS |