                        Astronomy Picture of the Day

    Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our
      fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation
                    written by a professional astronomer.

                               2023 August 16

                          Arp 93: A Cosmic Embrace
         Image Credit & Copyright: Mike Selby, Observatorio El Sauce

   Explanation: Locked in a cosmic embrace, two large galaxies are merging
   at the center of this sharp telescopic field of view. The interacting
   system cataloged as Arp 93 is some 200 million light-years distant
   toward the constellation Aquarius in planet Earth's sky. Individually
   the galaxies are identified as NGC 7285 (right) and NGC 7284. Their
   bright cores are still separated by about 20,000 light-years or so, but
   a massive tidal stream, a result of their ongoing gravitational
   interaction, extends over 200,000 light-years toward the bottom of the
   frame. Interacting galaxies do look peculiar, but are now understood to
   be common in the Universe. In fact, closer to home, the large spiral
   Andromeda Galaxy is known to be approaching the Milky Way. Arp 93 may
   well present an analog of their distant future cosmic embrace.

                      Tomorrow's picture: a cosmic zoo
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       Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
            NASA Official: Phillip Newman Specific rights apply.
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