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Astronomy Picture of the Day -- The Porpoise Galaxy from Hubble
NASA ^ | June 24, 2013 | (see photo credit)

Posted on 06/24/2013 8:58:11 PM PDT by SunkenCiv

Explanation: What's happening to this spiral galaxy? Just a few hundred million years ago, NGC 2936, the upper of the two large galaxies shown, was likely a normal spiral galaxy -- spinning, creating stars -- and minding its own business. But then it got too close to the massive elliptical galaxy NGC 2937 below and took a dive. Dubbed the Porpoise Galaxy for its iconic shape, NGC 2936 is not only being deflected but also being distorted by the close gravitational interaction. A burst of young blue stars forms the nose of the porpoise toward the left of the upper galaxy, while the center of the spiral appears as an eye. Alternatively, the galaxy pair, together known as Arp 142, look to some like a penguin protecting an egg. Either way, intricate dark dust lanes and bright blue star streams trail the troubled galaxy to the lower right. The above recently-released image showing Arp 142 in unprecedented detail was taken by the Hubble Space Telescope last year. Arp 142 lies about 300 million light years away toward the constellation, coincidently, of the Water Snake (Hydra). In a billion years or so the two galaxies will likely merge into one larger galaxy.

June 24, 2013

(Excerpt) Read more at 129.164.179.22 ...


TOPICS: Astronomy; Astronomy Picture of the Day; Science
KEYWORDS: apod; arp142; astronomy; haltonarp; hydra; ngc2936; ngc2937; porpoisegalaxy; science
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[Credit: NASA, ESA, and The Hubble Heritage Team (STSci/AURA)]

1 posted on 06/24/2013 8:58:11 PM PDT by SunkenCiv
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To: brytlea; cripplecreek; decimon; bigheadfred; KoRn; Grammy; married21; steelyourfaith; Mmogamer; ...

New Mirror: APOD now availble from Thailand in Thai and English.
The Big One.

2 posted on 06/24/2013 9:00:04 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (McCain or Romney would have been worse, if you're a dumb ass.)
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To: SunkenCiv

That is VERY Cool!


3 posted on 06/24/2013 9:08:20 PM PDT by mylife (Ted Cruz understands the law, and he does not fear the unlawful.)
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To: SunkenCiv

hunh! looks just like the Hummingbird-with-Glasses-Smoking-a-Cigarette Galaxy!


4 posted on 06/24/2013 9:08:44 PM PDT by schm0e ("we are in the midst of a coup.")
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To: SunkenCiv

Now that’s just weird...looks like the central nervous system of a seal via a really bright light behind it.


5 posted on 06/24/2013 9:09:19 PM PDT by Tainan (Cogito, ergo conservatus sum -- "The Taliban is inside the building")
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To: SunkenCiv
THAILAND!?!??!
6 posted on 06/24/2013 9:09:20 PM PDT by null and void (Republicans create the tools of oppression, and the democrats gleefully use them!)
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To: SunkenCiv
Hawkwind~Spiral Galaxy 28948
7 posted on 06/24/2013 9:11:08 PM PDT by mylife (Ted Cruz understands the law, and he does not fear the unlawful.)
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To: schm0e

I saw the hummingbird too.


8 posted on 06/24/2013 9:11:43 PM PDT by mylife (Ted Cruz understands the law, and he does not fear the unlawful.)
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To: SunkenCiv

What’s amazing is all the other galaxies in the pictures that look so insignificant. Each is made up of tens of billions of stars with probably a trillion planets each.

How insignificant we truly are in the grand scheme of things, and yet we think we’re so important.


9 posted on 06/24/2013 9:19:30 PM PDT by aquila48
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To: SunkenCiv
What I always find so mind blowing about these super hi-rez Hubble shots is the multitude of galaxies in the background.

Just contemplating what they could have living in them, so far away and unknowable..........

10 posted on 06/24/2013 9:41:21 PM PDT by doorgunner69
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To: SunkenCiv
SunkenCiv, A Man With Porpoise!
Thanks SunkenCiv!
11 posted on 06/24/2013 9:41:51 PM PDT by lbryce (BHO:"Now, I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds by way Oppenheimer at Trinity NM)
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To: mylife
I saw the hummingbird too.

I couldn't really tell. Can we get a shot from the other side so that I can be sure?

Thanks for the ping SunkenCiv!

12 posted on 06/24/2013 9:49:12 PM PDT by houeto (https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
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To: SunkenCiv; lbryce

Robin: Gosh, Batman. The nobility of the almost-human porpoise.
Batman: True, Robin. It was noble of that animal to hurl himself into the path of that final torpedo. He gave his life for ours.
13 posted on 06/24/2013 9:55:37 PM PDT by DannyTN
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To: lbryce

LOL!!!


14 posted on 06/24/2013 9:57:16 PM PDT by mylife (Ted Cruz understands the law, and he does not fear the unlawful.)
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To: aquila48
Hawkwind~Space Is Deep.
15 posted on 06/24/2013 10:01:37 PM PDT by mylife (Ted Cruz understands the law, and he does not fear the unlawful.)
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To: SunkenCiv

That’s kind of close to the Tortoise Galaxy, isn’t it? Where Rhincewind is?


16 posted on 06/24/2013 10:06:10 PM PDT by Hardraade (http://junipersec.wordpress.com (Obama equals Osama))
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To: SunkenCiv

Thanks for all you do, SunkenCiv.


17 posted on 06/24/2013 10:08:26 PM PDT by RedHeeler
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To: SunkenCiv

Wow! Everything’s up there! Even a porpoise jumping a star.


18 posted on 06/24/2013 11:33:16 PM PDT by tanuki (Left-wing Revolution: show biz for boring people.)
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To: SunkenCiv

So long. And thank’s for all the fish!


19 posted on 06/25/2013 1:13:03 AM PDT by BigCinBigD (...Was that okay?)
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To: mylife

Awesome track,awesome album,awesome band!


20 posted on 06/25/2013 1:24:29 AM PDT by mitch5501 ("make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things ye shall never fall")
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