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Credit & Copyright: Mike Selby
Explanation:
Some 190 million light-years away,
far beyond the bright stars and nebulae of the Milky Way,
these
three galaxies
are drawn together by gravity in a
mesmerizing
cosmic dance.
Clearly distorted by galactic-scale gravitational interactions,
large spiral galaxies NGC6769 and NGC6770 are seen face-on,
with luminous galactic disks scarred by obscuring interstellar
dust lanes.
Their young blue star clusters along drawn out spiral arms
are spawned in star forming regions that result from collisions of
massive
molecular clouds.
Below, spiral NGC6771 presents a more edge-on perspective,
its boxy central bulge due to tidal
star streams.
Of course, in the
distant future
a merger of the three galaxies is inevitable.
At the estimated distance of this galaxy trio,
known to some as the
Devil's Mask,
the sharp telescopic frame spans over 300 thousand light-years
within the boundaries of the far southern
constellation
Pavo.
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Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day