Hubble image shows two overlapping galaxies

This week's image from the Hubble Space Telescope shows two galaxies that appear to be colliding, but are in fact simply overlaping. Two spiral galaxies, one facing on and one at an angle, are more than a billion light years away.

Hubble's Advanced Camera for Surveys was used to take the pictures.

Hubble scientists say that the alignment of the two galaxies is likely by chance. The Hubble Telescope has captured a dazzling array of other, truly interacting galaxies.

There are some Hubble images of interacting galaxies that are close enough to be known by a common name. One of the barred spirals is merging with a smaller companion. The Angel Wing is a system where the merging galaxies have created a wing-like shape.

A Hubble image from last year shows how spiral arms can become distorted by the huge forces involved in interactions. Streams of matter can be created between two interacting galaxies.

One of Hubble's most impressive images is of an object called NCG 1741, where four dwarf galaxies are found within 75,000 light-years of each other. All four of these galaxies would fit within the space taken up by the Milky Way, and eventually, the whole group is predicted to end up as one single merged galaxy.

There is a recommended video.