                        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.

                                2024 March 20
     Two large galaxies are pictured. On the left is a distorted spiral
     galaxy, while on the right is a relatively featureless yellow disk
     galaxy. Together, these galaxies may look, to some, like a pair of
       eyes. Please see the explanation for more detailed information.

                    The Eyes in Markarian's Galaxy Chain
                    Image Credit & Copyright: Mike Selby

   Explanation: Across the heart of the Virgo Galaxy Cluster lies a string
   of galaxies known as Markarian's Chain. Prominent in Markarian's Chain
   are these two interacting galaxies, NGC 4438 (left) and NGC 4435 - also
   known as The Eyes. About 50 million light-years away, the two galaxies
   appear to be about 100,000 light-years apart in this sharp close-up,
   but have likely approached to within an estimated 16,000 light-years of
   each other in their cosmic past. Gravitational tides from the close
   encounter have ripped away at their stars, gas, and dust. The more
   massive NGC 4438 managed to hold on to much of the material torn out in
   the collision, while material from the smaller NGC 4435 was more easily
   lost. The remarkably deep image of this crowded region of the universe
   also includes many more distant background galaxies.

                     Tomorrow's picture: three galaxies
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       Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
            NASA Official: Amber Straughn Specific rights apply.
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                           NASA Science Activation
                             & Michigan Tech. U.

