The future victim of mergers?

• by TriDitty

  With all of the many objects in this sector, are any of them nearly as close as they look? Will this beautiful spiral galaxy be merged anytime soon? There already seems to be a relatively tiny red object on it's upper right side that may or may not be a part of the original formation. Also, do I see the bright object below it pulling on it's lower spirals already??

  Posted November 3, 2012 11:34 AM

• by ElisabethB moderator

  Most of the other objects in this image are actually foreground stars from our galaxy. Like the littled red one to the right and the white one at the bottom. So there is definitely no interaction possible between these stars and the galaxy.

  Posted November 3, 2012 11:40 AM

• by TriDitty

  Oh well then, I guess that I am not quite as good of an observer as I had hoped. I swear that the bottom spiral(s) look a little distorted even if it isn't blatantly obvious while those top spirals seem to have great looking form.

  Thnx

  Posted November 3, 2012 11:48 AM

• by hirsty3359

  Beautiful image.
  In reply to your query about the distance? Probably stars that are further away than the galaxy.

  Posted January 16, 2013 3:16 PM