Astronomy Picture of the Day

   [1]Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our
      fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation
                    written by a professional astronomer.

                              2024 February 20
    [2]A distorted galaxy is shown with a string of stars trailing off on
     the left. Please see the explanation for more detailed information.

                   AM1054: Stars Form as Galaxies Collide
     Image Credit: [3]NASA, [4]ESA, [5]STScI; Processing: [6]J. English
        ([7]U. Manitoba); Science: [8]M. Rodruck ([9]Penn State U. &
                     [10]Randolph-Macon C.) [11]et al.;
                Text: [12]Jayanne English ([13]U. Manitoba).

   Explanation: When galaxies collide, how many stars are born? For
   AM1054-325, [14]featured here in a recently released image by the
   [15]Hubble Space Telescope, the answer is millions. Instead of stars
   [16]being destroyed as galaxy AM1054-325 and a nearby galaxy [17]circle
   each other, their gravity and motion has [18]ignited stellar creation.
   Star formation occurs rapidly in the gaseous debris stretching from
   [19]AM1054-325’s yellowish body due to the other galaxy’s gravitational
   pull. Hydrogen gas surrounding newborn [20]stars glows pink. Bright
   infant [21]stars shine blue and cluster together in compact nurseries
   of thousands to [22]millions of stars. AM1054-325 possesses over 100 of
   these intense-blue, [23]dot-like star clusters, some appearing like a
   [24]string [25]of [26]pearls. Analyzing [27]ultraviolet light helped
   determine that most of these stars are less than 10 million years old:
   [28]stellar babies. Many of these nurseries may grow up to be
   [29]globular star clusters, while the bundle of young stars at the
   bottom tip may even [30]detach and form a small galaxy.

                       Tomorrow's picture: bigger bird
     __________________________________________________________________

      [31]< | [32]Archive | [33]Submissions | [34]Index | [35]Search |
   [36]Calendar | [37]RSS | [38]Education | [39]About APOD | [40]Discuss |
                                    [41]>
     __________________________________________________________________

    Authors & editors: [42]Robert Nemiroff ([43]MTU) & [44]Jerry Bonnell
                                 ([45]UMCP)
          NASA Official: Amber Straughn; [46]Specific rights apply.
              [47]NASA Web Privacy Policy and Important Notices
                A service of: [48]ASD at [49]NASA / [50]GSFC,
                         [51]NASA Science Activation
                           & [52]Michigan Tech. U.

References

   1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
   2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2402/AM1054_Hubble_2000.jpg
   3. https://www.nasa.gov/
   4. https://www.esa.int/
   5. https://www.stsci.edu/
   6. http://www2.physics.umanitoba.ca/u/english/
   7. https://umanitoba.ca/science/physics-and-astronomy
   8. https://sites.psu.edu/mrodruck/
   9. https://science.psu.edu/astro
  10. https://www.rmc.edu/about-rmc/college-leadership/offices-departments/physics-engineering-and-astrophysics/astrophysics-faculty/
  11. https://arxiv.org/pdf/2309.10267.pdf
  12. http://www2.physics.umanitoba.ca/u/english/
  13. https://umanitoba.ca/science/physics-and-astronomy
  14. https://hubblesite.org/contents/news-releases/2024/news-2024-004
  15. https://science.nasa.gov/mission/hubble/
  16. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap171016.html
  17. https://youtu.be/TI5j-6vGGnA
  18. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starburst_galaxy
  19. https://hubblesite.org/contents/media/images/2024/004/01HN3A68AHYZ7YV50T5G2D2K0Y
  20. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap020613.html
  21. https://www.astronomy.com/science/young-hot-and-blue-stars-in-cluster-ngc-2547/
  22. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap210110.html
  23. https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2023MNRAS.526.2341R/abstract
  24. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap020525.html
  25. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap040220.html
  26. https://www.missionjuno.swri.edu/junocam/processing?id=10966
  27. https://science.nasa.gov/ems/10_ultravioletwaves/
  28. https://thumbs.dreamstime.com/b/four-fluffy-golden-british-longhair-cat-isolated-white-background-kittens-sitting-dark-brown-jewelery-box-pearls-127733819.jpg
  29. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap230130.html
  30. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap151121.html
  31. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap240219.html
  32. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
  33. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html
  34. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html
  35. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search
  36. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  37. https://apod.com/feed.rss
  38. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html
  39. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html
  40. https://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=240220
  41. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap240221.html
  42. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html
  43. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/
  44. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html
  45. http://www.astro.umd.edu/
  46. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  47. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html
  48. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/
  49. https://www.nasa.gov/
  50. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/
  51. https://science.nasa.gov/learners
  52. http://www.mtu.edu/