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Deep within the constellation of Pegasus
lies a tight grouping of five galaxies.
Called Stephan's Quintet, this collection showcases different
galaxy types ...
and how they can interact in dense environments.
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Ground-based observations show the galaxy arrangement,
and the Hubble Space Telescope captures the fine details.
Using infrared light, the Spitzer Space Telescope
features cool gas and dust, and the Webb Space Telescope
unveils new depth and resolution.
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The Chandra X-ray observatory reveals a high-energy component
both in and between the galaxies.
In three dimensions, this spiral galaxy
is much closer than the other galaxies.
The visible light view shows numerous pink star forming
regions and blue young stars.
The infrared view highlights the cool gas and dust
amid a diffuse collection of older stars.
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The more distant galaxies are grouped together.
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These elliptical galaxies are dominated by older stars ...
and have rounded shapes in both infrared and visible light.
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This barred spiral galaxy has few star-forming regions
and some irregular spiral arms.
Its core contains an active supermassive black hole.
Energetic material around the black hole
blazes brightly in X-rays.
More distant material shines in infrared light.
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A tidal tail provides evidence of an interaction
with this nearby galaxy.
This small spiral is part of the group
and passed near the larger barred spiral
several hundred million years ago.
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This galaxy is undergoing a high-speed collision
as it crashes into the group from behind.
Its shape features distorted spiral arms
and stretched out tails with considerable star formation.
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This X-ray shocked ridge marks where
the galaxy is colliding with the dense gas between the galaxies.
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A bridge of material that extends in front of the barred
spiral galaxy can be seen in X-rays ...
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... as bright clouds in infrared light ...
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... and dark clouds in visible light.
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An encounter with the distant elliptical
may have stretched out the spiral
before its current chaotic collision.
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Stephan's Quintet shows several types of galaxies,
including some with stretched and distorted shapes
that highlight interactions within the group.
NASA's great observatories provide
multi-wavelength observations that
enable diverse insights into this complex, compact group.