Galactic Merger: Arp 107's Smiling Collision!
Using the James Webb Space Telescope, astronomers have captured an incredible cosmic event – the cheerful-looking collision of two galaxies known as Arp 107!
Located 465 million light-years away in the constellation Leo Minor, this galactic merger has created a stunning "smiley face" in the stars.
✨ Star Bridge: Thanks to JWST's powerful NIRCam and MIRI cameras, the image clearly shows a transparent bridge of stars ripped from both galaxies.
Star-Forming Chaos: The collision has sparked star-forming regions, highlighted in vibrant orange and red gas clouds. But there's more – some of this gas is being dispersed, potentially halting future star formation!
Spiral Galaxy Impact: One of the galaxies, a Seyfert spiral, still retains most of its structure despite losing its iconic spiral arms. These galaxies, named after Carl K. Seyfert, emit intense energy from their centers.
The Future: This cosmic clash will take hundreds of millions of years to finish, eventually forming a larger, irregularly shaped galaxy.
Get ready to witness a galactic collision like never before, brought to you by the cutting-edge technology of JWST!
