Cumbrian Sky

The Hubble telescope has returned some stunning images since its launch in 1991 (yes, 1991!!!!!!), some of which have become known as classics - the "Pillars of Creation" being the most famous, perhaps. But today the Hubble team has released another absolute beauty, which shows... well, look for yourselves...

That's "Arp 87", a big galaxy being eaten up by a smaller one. Yes, the small galaxy top left is drawing material away from the larger galaxy at the bottom right. Just take a moment to think about the forces at play here... imagine the tattered streamers and ribbons of stars being torn off the larger galaxy and drawn towards the smaller, hungry one...

... and now go forward in time a few billion years to when this very fate befalls our own Milky Way galaxy, as it combines with the larger Andromeda galaxy, M31, and is itself consumed...

THIS is why I adore astronomy, and live in a world of my own sometimes! Out there, in the cold, dark depths of space, galaxies are EATING EACH OTHER!!!!

For the full size version - and you'll thank me for it when you see it! - go here...

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