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7mo ago

James Webb Captures Stunning Image of Two Galaxies Colliding

The Webb Telescope reveals intricate details of star formation and galactic interaction in the merging galaxies Arp 107.

A pair of interacting galaxies. The larger of the two galaxies is slightly right of centre, and is composed of a hazy, bright, white centre and a ring of gaseous filaments, which are different shades of red and orange. Toward the bottom left and bottom right of the ring are filaments of gas spiralling inward toward the core. At the top left of the ring is a noticeable gap, bordered by two large, orange pockets of dust and gas. The smaller galaxy is made of hazy and white gas and dust, which become more diffuse further away from its centre. To this galaxy’s bottom left, there is a smaller, more diffuse gas cloud that wafts outward toward the edges of the image. Many red, orange, and white galaxies are spread throughout, with some being hazier in appearance and others having more defined spiral patterns.

Overview

  • Arp 107, located 465 million light-years away, consists of an elliptical and a spiral galaxy in the process of merging.
  • The collision has created a bridge of gas and stars between the two galaxies, visible in Webb's near-infrared and mid-infrared data.
  • Webb's instruments highlight regions of vibrant star formation, with young stars forming in clouds of dust and gas.
  • The spiral galaxy in Arp 107 houses a supermassive black hole, evident from the bright core captured in the images.
  • Galactic collisions like this can both compress gas to form new stars and disperse gas, affecting future star formation.