Two galaxies with active galactic nuclei interact in dramatic fashion

13 February 2022 Astronomy Now

When galaxies get close enough to each other, tidal forces can tug entire star systems out of place, distorting the shapes of the interacting pair in sometimes dramatic fashion. When galaxies with active galactic nuclei interact, the result can be spectacular, as in this Hubble Space Telescope view of Arp 282, made up of Seyfert galaxy NGC 169 (bottom) and IC 1559 (top). Hidden in the cores of both galaxies are supermassive black holes, actively feasting on surrounding stars, gas and dust. Delicate streams of matter can be seen visibly connecting the two galaxies in a dramatic, 3D-like demonstration of titanic tidal interactions.

Interacting galaxies NGC 169 (bottom) and IC 1559 (top). Click on the image for a larger view. Image: ESA/Hubble & NASA, J. Dalcanton, Dark Energy Survey, Department of Energy (DOE), Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory/NoirLab/National Science Foundation/Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA), Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS); Acknowledgment: J. Schmidt

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