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In this system, two galaxies are merging at a furious rate. Near the top of the image is a spiral galaxy shape with thick arms in fiery oranges, whites, and reds. At the bottom of the image is a faint hazy bowl shape marbled with grainy white ribbons and hot pink specks. Where the two shapes collide, in the center of the frame, the galaxy appears utterly chaotic, like a firework.

NASA’s Chandra Spots Galactic Gem

Galaxies are like cosmic gems, each with characteristics including size and shape that make them distinct. A gallery from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory and other telescopes displays a collection of galactic images that showcase this variety.

Image Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/SAO; Optical: NASA/ESA/STScI; Infrared: NASA/ESA/CSA/STScI; Image Processing: NASA/CXC/SAO/L. Frattare and J. Major

TakenAugust 25, 2026

Image CreditX-ray: NASA/CXC/SAO; Optical: NASA/ESA/STScI; Infrared: NASA/ESA/CSA/STScI; Image Processing: NASA/CXC/SAO/L. Frattare and J. Major

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