As the Webb telescope watches, two galaxies merging create brightness equivalent to a trillion suns

 

Astronomers from all across the world have once again been in awe of the James Webb Space Telescope. The brightest observatory in the world has captured the merger of two galaxies, which have a brightness equivalent to a trillion suns.

Arp 220, glowing brightly amid a sea of galaxies in the night sky, was photographed by the airborne observatory. ARP 220, which has a luminosity greater than our own Milky Way galaxy, which, when viewed from outside, emits light equivalent to roughly ten billion suns, is created by the merger of two spiral galaxies in deep space.

The event was observed by astronomers using the Webb Telescope's Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam) and Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI).

Arp 220, the galactic merger, is the 220th object in Halton Arp's Atlas of Peculiar Galaxies and is situated about 250 million light years from Earth in the constellation of Serpens, the Serpent. An ultra-luminous infrared galaxy (ULIRG), which is closest to Earth, has been identified as the merger.

"About 700 million years ago, the two spiral galaxies started colliding. It caused a massive explosion in star formation. In a dense, dusty region that is 5,000 light-years across (about 5% of the Milky Way's width), there are 200 massive star clusters, according to a statement from NASA.

When the event was first spotted by the Hubble telescope, it was discovered that the parent galaxies' centers were 1,200 light-years distant and that each contained a spinning ring of star formation that was responsible for the dazzling infrared light seen in this Webb image.

The weak tidal tails or material dragged off the galaxies by gravity, are visible in the image and are shown in blue. This is proof of the cosmic dance that is taking place. According to NASA, Arp 220 is covered in streams and filaments of organic material depicted in reddish orange.