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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 20   
      A distorted galaxy is shown with a string of stars trailing off on the   
          left. Please see the explanation for more detailed information.   
      
                      AM1054: Stars Form as Galaxies Collide   
       Image Credit: NASA, ESA, STScI; Processing: J. English (U. Manitoba);   
          Science: M. Rodruck (Penn State U. & Randolph-Macon C.) et al.;   
                       Text: Jayanne English (U. Manitoba).   
      
      Explanation: When galaxies collide, how many stars are born? For   
      AM1054-325, featured here in a recently released image by the Hubble   
      Space Telescope, the answer is millions. Instead of stars being   
      destroyed as galaxy AM1054-325 and a nearby galaxy circle each other,   
      their gravity and motion has ignited stellar creation. Star formation   
      occurs rapidly in the gaseous debris stretching from AM1054-325CÇÖs   
      yellowish body due to the other galaxyCÇÖs gravitational pull. Hydrogen   
      gas surrounding newborn stars glows pink. Bright infant stars shine   
      blue and cluster together in compact nurseries of thousands to millions   
      of stars. AM1054-325 possesses over 100 of these intense-blue, dot-like   
      star clusters, some appearing like a string of pearls. Analyzing   
      ultraviolet light helped determine that most of these stars are less   
      than 10 million years old: stellar babies. Many of these nurseries may   
      grow up to be globular star clusters, while the bundle of young stars   
      at the bottom tip may even detach and form a small galaxy.   
      
                          Tomorrow's picture: bigger bird   
        __________________________________________________________________   
      
          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.   
      
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