|
Credit & Copyright: Robert Gendler
Explanation:
In the left corner, wearing a red nucleus
surrounded by blue spiral arms, is
M81.
In the right corner, sporting light stars and dark dust lanes, is
M82.
These two mammoth galaxies have been locked in
gravitational combat
for the past billion years.
The
gravity from each galaxy dramatically affects the
other during each hundred million-year pass.
Last go-round, M82's gravity likely raised circulating
density waves rippling around M81 resulting in the richness of
M81's spiral arms.
M81, though, left
M82 a messy pulp of exploded stars and
colliding gas so violent it
emits bright X-rays.
In both galaxies, colliding gas has created a recent abundance of
bright new stars.
In a few billion years only one galaxy will remain.
Tomorrow's picture: Asteroid Encounter
|
January February March April May June July August September October November December |
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings, and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day
Publications with keywords: M 81 - M 82
Publications with words: M 81 - M 82
See also: