The Hubble Telescope photographed a "stellar bridge" between galaxies: photo
A new image from NASA's Hubble Space Telescope showcases a member of the Arp 295 galaxy group, specifically one of the galaxies within the group. The image also distinctly captures a portion of a faint star bridge.
Due to their close proximity, the mutual gravitational forces between these galaxies have given rise to this cosmic feature. According to the official website of the space agency, the star bridge extends for 250 thousand light-years and comprises both stars and gas.
Arp 295 is comprised of three spiral galaxies: Arp 295a, Arp 295b, and Arp 295c. Arp 295a, the galaxy on the edge, is visible in the center of the image, while Arp 295c, the smaller and bluer spiral, is on the right. Arp 295b is situated on the upper left, though not visible in the photo. This specific galaxy cluster is located 270 million light-years away in the direction of the constellation Aquarius.
Galaxy mergers are a common occurrence in the universe. Even our Milky Way may undergo such a fate, merging with the massive neighboring galaxy Andromeda in about 4 billion years.