Colliding galaxies create NGC 520

NGC 520 is the result of two two colliding galaxies, possibly spirals, seen edge on. This is a process that started 300 million years ago that is still a place of massive star birth and chaotic radio emissions.

Hubble Telescope pictures show atypical features generated by gravitational interactions of both galaxies, which resulted in notable change of their original shape.

Similar to the Antenae Galaxies, this H II nucleus galaxy shows very obvious tidal features with a highly disturbed morphology, and prominent dust lanes.

NGC 520 has been a source of many speculations in the last decades. What was considered an exploding galaxy in the ’60s is now thought the be two galaxies that are merging into a single elliptical galaxy.

NGC 520 collision could be a hint of what might happen to our own galaxy in about five billion years, when the Andromeda galaxy will crash in to our Milky Way.

Distance from Earth: ~ 90 million light years

Click below for full resolution picture of NGC 520