File:Ultraluminous Galaxy Merger NGC 6240.jpg

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Description
English: This image of a pair of colliding galaxies called NGC 6240 shows them in a rare, short-lived phase of their evolution just before they merge into a single, larger galaxy. The prolonged, violent collision has drastically altered the appearance of both galaxies and created huge amounts of heat -- turning NGC 6240 into an "infrared luminous" active galaxy.

A rich variety of active galaxies, with different shapes, luminosities and radiation profiles exist. These galaxies may be related -- astronomers have suspected that they may represent an evolutionary sequence. By catching different galaxies in different stages of merging, a story emerges as one type of active galaxy changes into another. NGC 6240 provides an important "missing link" in this process.

This image was created from combined data from the infrared array camera of NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope at 3.6 and 8.0 microns (red) and visible light from NASA's Hubble Space Telescope (green and blue).
Date
Source http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/images/2011-ssc2009-06a-Galaxies-Collide-to-Create-Hot-Huge-Galaxy
Author NASA/JPL-Caltech/STScI-ESA/S. Bush (Harvard-Smithsonian CfA)

Image use policy: http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/info/18-Image-Use-Policy

Licensing

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Public domain This file is in the public domain in the United States because it was solely created by NASA. NASA copyright policy states that "NASA material is not protected by copyright unless noted". (See Template:PD-USGov, NASA copyright policy page or JPL Image Use Policy.)
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Date/TimeThumbnailDimensionsUserComment
current22:02, 13 June 2011Thumbnail for version as of 22:02, 13 June 20112,400 × 3,000 (5.27 MB)Spitzersteph (talk | contribs)

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