In its latest cosmic masterpiece, the Hubble Space Telescope captured a mesmerizing scene of four spiral galaxies participating in a complex dance of overlapping cosmic vortices.
Hubble photographs spiral galaxies overlapping in cosmic harmony
Dominating the right side of the image is NGC 1356, the largest galaxy in the frame, famous for its elegant barred spiral structure reminiscent of the Milky Way. Often referred to as the Large Barred Spiral Galaxy, NGC 1356 displays a prominent bar, a bright central structure filled with stars.
Adjacent to NGC 1356 are two smaller spiral galaxies, LEDA 467699 and LEDA 95415, seemingly in a tight embrace. To the left is IC 1947, a lone galaxy added to the cosmic tapestry.
Optical illusion
The optical illusion in this celestial portrait is due to the apparent proximity of the LEDA galaxies to NGC 1356. Although they appear to be close to each other, these galaxies are actually millions of light-years apart.
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This deceptive alignment is a result of the viewpoint from Earth and creates the illusion of overlap when observed from our vantage point. In contrast, IC 1947, standing alone on the left, is physically closer to NGC 1356, and the distance between them is less than 400,000 light-years.
This makes them cosmic neighbors in this region of the universe. What do you think? Please share your thoughts with us in the comments.
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