Colliding galaxies result in massive Fornax A

NGC 1316, otherwise known as Fornax A, is a giant radio galaxy with an apparent magnitude of +8.4 and it may be the brightest member of  the distant Fornax galaxy cluster. NGC 1316 is a lenticular galaxy that resembles with a small elliptical galaxy with unusual lines of dust embedded within a larger set of stars.

The presence of a compact disc of gas near the center that appear to rotate faster than the stars suggests that NGC 1316 is the product of a fusion of smaller galaxies. These colliding galaxies may have fueled the supermassive black hole located in the galactic center, with a mass estimated at 130-150 million solar masses, causing the Fornax A to become the 4th brightest radio galaxy in the known Universe.

Based on a study of red star clusters with Hubble Space Telescope, it has been concluded that there was a collision between two spiral galaxies a few thousand million years ago that shaped the current NGC 1316.

In the last 100 million years, NGC 1317, a small spiral galaxy located to the north is being devoured by this enormous remnant galaxy.

Distance from Earth: 70 million light years.

Click below for full resolution picture of NGC 1316