NASA Hubble Telescope snaps new star formation from galaxy collision

NGC 4485 galaxy showing signs of a collision with a bypassing galaxy.

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NASA scientists have suspected that the NGC 4485 has been involved in a collision with a bypassing galaxy. Rather than destroying the galaxy, there's a possibility of a new generation of stars, and possibly planets.

 
NASA Hubble Telescope snaps new star formation from galaxy collision

The right side of the galaxy is ablaze with star formation, while the left side looks pretty intact. It shows the galaxy's old spiral structure, which was witnessing normal evolution at one point.

 

Both galaxies surpassed each other millions of years ago and are now 24,000 light-years apart. The gravitational pull among the two created ripples of higher-density gas and dust with both galaxies. This process also triggered the formation of new stars.

The new images chronicled by NASA's Hubble Wide Field Camera (WFC3), gave the astronomers further peek into the complexities of the evolution of the galaxy.

Previously, NASA's Hubble Telescope has found more evidence of water on the surface of Jupiter's moon Europa. It is one of the 50 moons orbiting the gas giant and is also considered to be a "top candidate" for life elsewhere in the solar system.

"We are presenting new Hubble evidence for water vapor plumes being expelled from the icy surface of Europa," William Sparks, an astronomer with the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore told the media.

Last year, Hubble data confirmed that Jupiter's largest moon, Ganymede, has an underground ocean which has more water than the oceans on Earth.

"For a long time, humanity has been wondering whether there is life beyond Earth, and we are lucky to live in an era when we can address questions like that scientifically," said Paul Hertz, director of the Astrophysics Division at Nasa headquarters.

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