In this latest image captured by the NASA Hubble Space Telescope, a captivating duo of interacting galaxies, NGC 5410 and UGC 8932/PGC 49896, takes center stage.
The more prominent of the two, NGC 5410, was originally discovered by the renowned British astronomer William Herschel in 1787. Spanning an impressive 80,000 light-years, NGC 5410 features a luminous white bar of stars at its core, indicative of its spiral structure with a medium-sized nucleus and expansive arms. Notably, this spiral galaxy is adorned with numerous youthful, blue star clusters, particularly along its sprawling arms, contributing to the celestial tapestry captured in this stunning Hubble image.
The smaller galaxy in focus, known as UGC 8932 or PGC 49896, possesses a diameter of 60,000 light-years. Distinguished by a radiant blue bar of stars at its center, indicative of the presence of younger stars, its irregular shape suggests distortions likely caused by the gravitational influence of NGC 5410. Situated 180 million light-years away in the Canes Venatici constellation, this interacting pair is observable from the northern hemisphere.
Notably, a stellar stream, resembling a bridge, lies between the two galaxies, a consequence of their gravitational interaction. The Hubble Space Telescope captured this image in 2023, with a specific focus on examining whether interactions between dwarf galaxies contribute to the creation of particle reservoirs that fuel subsequent star formation processes.
