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What it is : The spiral galaxies IC 2163 ( left ) and NGC 2207 ( right )
Where it is:80 million light - long time away , in the configuration Canis Major
JWST and Hubble’s new composite image shows the galaxies IC 2163 and NGC 2207 with bright-red “blood-soaked” eyes.
When it was shared : Oct. 31 , 2024
Why it ’s so special : This eerie view , a composite plant of epitome captured by both theJames Webb Space Telescope(JWST ) and theHubble Space Telescope , feature a pair of spiral wandflower with bright nucleus that resemble a spooky set of " blood - soaked " eyes . These galaxies rake each other millions of years ago and are currently colliding .
That ’s because millions of eld ago , the smaller spiral Galax urceolata on the left , IC 2163 , slow crept behind the larger spiral galax on the rightfield , NGC 2207 . Because of their close meeting , the wandflower ' spiral arms may have developed tiny , tail assembly - same extensions , both between IC 2163 ’s core and its far unexpended arm and between the two extragalactic nebula ' bright cores . Another similar reference stretch from the top of the expectant spiral , which is drifting away from the eery scene .
The two galaxies ' materials may have also collided during the grazing , which might explain the thick and bulging arm , let in the “ eyelid ” regions , highlighted in lustrous red .
Related:42 jaw - dropping James Webb Space Telescope images
Both galaxies are efficient star factories , producing almost two dozen new sunlike star each yr . This star establishment rate is much higher than that of theMilky Way , which produce only two or three newfangled sunlike sensation annually . And while our Galax urceolata farm one supernova every 50 age , both of these galaxies have hosted seven recognize supernova in recent decades . These supernova may have fueled new star formation by clearing out space in the galaxy ’s spiral coat of arms , thus redistribute flatulency and dust . Once the material cooled down , new hotshot could forge .
This incredibly elaborate epitome combines mid - infrared observance from JWST with ultraviolet and visible - luminosity reflexion from Hubble .
— Hubble spies a ' cannonball galaxy ' blasting through quad
— Hubble spot a prima ' total heat - bomb ' exploding in Aquarius at 1 million mph
— James Webb telescope spots the ultimate ' super star cluster ' deep in the Milky way of life
The whiz - forming regions scatter throughout the volute arms are symbolize in bright blue in the Hubble datum and in pinkish and white in the JWST data . The areas with large groups of star are super star clusters . Some of the bright regions might also be miniskirt - starbursts , in which headliner word form at an exceptionally high rate .
What ’s next ? Over the course of study of millions of years , the orbits of these coltsfoot will become soused , and they will proceed to swing past each other in a outstanding cosmic dancing . As they edge nearer to each other , they will merge into a single coltsfoot with reshaped arm and a single brighter core . Finally , in the next billion years or so , this eery scene will have a single " eye . "
For more sublime blank space images , check out ourSpace Photo of the Week archive .
