- Original Caption Released with Image:
-
AM 1316-241 is made up of two interacting galaxies—a spiral galaxy
(on the left of the frame) in front of an elliptical galaxy (on the right
of the frame). The starlight from the background galaxy is partially
obscured by the bands and filaments of dust associated with the foreground
spiral galaxy. The Hubble image unravels the fine detail in the patchy
clumps of dust confined to the spiral arms of the spiral galaxy. This dust
reddens the light from the background just as the intervening dust in the
Earth's atmosphere reddens sunsets here. AM1316-241 is located some 400
million light years away toward the constellation of Hydra, the Water
Snake.
This image is part of a large collection of 59 images of merging galaxies
taken by the Hubble Space Telescope and released on the occasion of its
18th anniversary on 24th April 2008. It was taken by the telescope's Wide
Field and Planetary Camera 2, which was designed and built by JPL.
- Image Credit:
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NASA, ESA, the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA)-ESA/Hubble Collaboration, and W. Keel (University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa)
Image Addition Date:
-
2008-04-24
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