"Gallery of Interacting Galaxies. Panels ""a"" and ""b"" show M82 (smaller galaxy at top) and M83 (spiral) seen in a black-and-white visible light image (a) and in radio waves given off by cold hydrogen gas (b). The hydrogen image shows the two galaxies wrapped in a common shroud of gas that is being stretched by the gravity of the two galaxies. Panel ""c"" presents a close-up view by HST showing some of the effects of this interaction on galaxy M82, including gas streaming outward (red tendrils), powered by supernovae. In panel ""d"" is galaxy UGC 10214 that has been disrupted by the passage of a smaller galaxy. The interloper's gravity pulled out the long tidal tail, which is about 280,000 light years long, and triggered bursts of star formation seen as blue clumps along the tail. Galaxies NGC 4676 A and B in panel ""e"" are nicknamed ""The Mice."" In this HST image, you can see the long narrow tails of stars pulled away from the galaxies by the interactions of the two spirals. Panel ""f"" shows Arp 148, a pair of galaxies that are caught in the act of merging to become one new galaxy. The two have already passed through each other once, causing a shockwave that reformed one into a bright blue ring of star formation."
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