These peculiar galaxies have a lot to teach us.
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There are plenty of reasons to point a high-powered telescope like Hubble into the depths of space.
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Observations of distant stars can help us understand how galaxies formed or search for signs of life outside of Earth.
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Unlike amateur astrophotographers, those operating sophisticated tools like Hubble generally aren’t capturing images for their aesthetic value — but that’s not always true.
The observation of Wild’s Triplet is part of an ongoing project using Hubble that’s meant to capture some of the most peculiar galaxies we know of.
The galaxies surveyed may be of scientific value if observed more closely by JWST, ALMA, or Hubble itself, and they’re selected from two spectacular sources.
A Catalogue Of Southern Peculiar Galaxies And Associations and the Atlas of Peculiar Galaxies, compiled by astronomer Halton Arp, are collections of galaxies with unusual structures.
The galaxies in the two compendiums are striking at first glance. From rings and lopsided spirals to connected galaxies like Wild’s Triplet, their shapes veer far from the familiar image of the Milky Way.
The shape of a galaxy can tell astronomers a lot about how it was formed, but deciphering that message is difficult. When Arp started his catalogs, the formation of spiral galaxies was poorly understood.
Many of the galaxies contained in Arp’s catalogs are actually interacting galaxy pairs, some of which were thought to be individual galaxies.
These catalogs provide compelling targets for future observations that could help solve the mystery of peculiar galaxies’ formation — a mission that Hubble has continued.
NASA, ESA, and the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA)
According to the ESA, these galaxies were also chosen as targets because they’re likely to capture attention.