30 Of The Most Mesmerizing Galaxies Captured On Telescope – Part 2

Oscar Wilde once said, “We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.” I like to think of myself as someone who always seeks beauty in life, no matter the circumstances. What could be more captivating and enchanting than a night sky filled with stars?

Launched into low Earth orbit in 1990, the Hubble Space Telescope has revealed countless wonders in the universe. Here are some of the most striking cosmic objects it has uncovered:

11. Porpoise Galaxy (NGC 2936)

NGC 2936, also known as the Porpoise Galaxy, is an interacting spiral galaxy located approximately 326 million light-years away in the constellation Hydra. It is interacting with the nearby elliptical galaxy NGC 2937, which is situated just below it.

12. NGC 2207 and IC 2163

NGC 2207 and IC 2163 are a pair of colliding spiral galaxies about 80 million light-years away in the constellation Canis Major. Their interaction provides a fascinating glimpse into galactic collisions and their effects.

Galaxies are often part of larger structures such as groups, clusters, and superclusters. For instance, the Milky Way is part of the Local Group, a collection of galaxies approximately 10 million light-years across that includes the Andromeda Galaxy and its satellites.

Galactic collisions are common. The Milky Way and Andromeda Galaxy are expected to collide in about 4.5 billion years. If colliding galaxies lack sufficient momentum to pass through each other, they can merge into a single, larger galaxy. This new galaxy can have a very different appearance from its progenitors; for instance, a merger between a spiral and an elliptical galaxy might result in an irregular galaxy.

Additionally, larger galaxies can absorb smaller ones through gravitational interactions, pulling in material to fuel their growth.

13. I Zwicky 18

I Zwicky 18 is a blue compact dwarf galaxy located about 59 million light-years away in the constellation Ursa Major. It is known for its intense star-forming activity.

14. Kiso 5639

Kiso 5639 is a dwarf galaxy, part of a class known as “tadpole” galaxies due to their bright, compact cores and elongated tails.

15. Sunflower Galaxy

The Sunflower Galaxy, located in the northern constellation Canes Venatici, is a spiral galaxy with approximately 400 billion stars. Its name reflects its visually appealing appearance.

16. The Antennae Galaxies

The Antennae Galaxies are a pair of interacting galaxies in the constellation Corvus. They are currently in a starburst phase, where the collision of gas and dust clouds, along with entangled magnetic fields, leads to intense and rapid star formation.

17. NGC 2336

NGC 2336 is a barred spiral galaxy located about 100 million light-years away in the constellation Camelopardalis. It is known for its prominent barred structure.

18. Milky Way

The Milky Way is a barred spiral galaxy approximately 13.6 billion years old and is the galaxy that contains our solar system.

19. NGC 2500

NGC 2500 is a barred spiral galaxy located in the constellation Lynx. It is notable for its distinct barred structure.

20. Messier 77 (NGC 1068)

Messier 77, also known as NGC 1068 or the Squid Galaxy, is a barred spiral galaxy in the constellation Cetus. It is approximately 47 million light-years away from Earth and is known for its active nucleus.

The Hubble Ultra Deep Field reveals nearly 10,000 galaxies that may appear scattered but are actually part of larger cosmic structures. Galaxies, galaxy groups, clusters, superclusters, and galactic walls are organized in a complex, web-like structure known as the cosmic web. This web forms as the gravitational forces of the universe pull matter together, creating dense regions of galaxies separated by vast voids, much like galaxies are resting on cosmic “bubbles.” The intersections of these concentrations form larger structures, including clusters and walls, which create a scaffold for the universe’s large-scale structure.