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PIA16614: Simulation of Galactic Collision (Simulation)
Computer simulations of the collision between NGC 6872 and IC 4970 reproduce the basic features of the galaxies as we see them today.
 Mission:  Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX) 
 Product Size:  2500 x 1380 pixels (w x h) 
 Produced By:  Goddard Space Flight Center 
 Full-Res TIFF:  PIA16614.tif (10.35 MB)
 Full-Res JPEG:  PIA16614.jpg (161.1 kB)  

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Annotated Image
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Computer simulations of the collision between NGC 6872 and IC 4970 reproduce the basic features of the galaxies as we see them today. They indicate that IC 4970's closest encounter occurred 130 million years ago and that the smaller galaxy followed a path (dashed curve) close to the plane of the spiral's disk and in the same direction it rotates.

Image Credit:
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, after C. Horellou (Onsala Space Observatory) and B. Koribalski (ATNF)

Image Addition Date:
2013-01-10