This cosmic exclamation mark is the unfolding collision between two galaxies, VV 340 (also known as Arp 302), located 450 million light years from Earth.
The edge-on galaxy near the top of the image is VV 340A, the center of which likely contains a rapidly growing supermassive black hole that is heavily obscured by dust and gas. The face-on galaxy at the bottom of the image is VV 340B.
Millions of years later these two spirals will merge – much like the Andromeda and our own Milky Way will likely do billions of years from now.
[Source: Daily Mail]
H/t Igor.
~Eowyn
