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                           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 February 7   
       Two galaxies are seen colliding the image center. Together, they look   
           like a classic heart icon but with long tails. Please see the   
                    explanation for more detailed information.   
      
                        The Heart Shaped Antennae Galaxies   
                      Image Credit & Copyright: Kent E. Biggs   
      
      Explanation: Are these two galaxies really attracted to each other?   
      Yes, gravitationally, and the result appears as an enormous iconic   
      heart -- at least for now. Pictured is the pair of galaxies cataloged   
      as NGC 4038 and NGC 4039,known as the Antennae Galaxies. Because they   
      are only 60 million light years away, close by intergalactic standards,   
      the pair is one of the best studied interacting galaxies on the night   
      sky. Their strong attraction began about a billion years ago when they   
      passed unusually close to each other. As the two galaxies interact,   
      their stars rarely collide, but new stars are formed when their   
      interstellar gases crash together. Some new stars have already formed,   
      for example, in the long antennae seen extending out from the sides of   
      the dancing duo. By the time the galaxy merger is complete, likely over   
      a billion years from now, billions of new stars may have formed.   
      
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