Log in to Webshots

Login
Get Adobe Flash player

Connect with Facebook to Continue

Hello, facebook user. logout

You are signed in to your Facebook account. Share this photo by posting it on your wall, or by choosing a friend below and posting it on their wall. (one friend at a time)

Album Info:

In this stunning vista recorded with the Hubble Space Telescope's Advanced Camera for Surveys, distant galaxies form a dramatic backdrop for disrupted spiral galaxy Arp 188, the Tadpole Galaxy. The cosmic tadpole is a mere 420 million light-years distant toward the northern constellation Draco. Its eye-catching tail is about 280 thousand light-years long and features massive, bright blue star clusters. One story goes that a more compact intruder galaxy crossed in front of Arp 188 - from left to right in this view - and was slung around behind the Tadpole by their gravitational attraction. During the close encounter, tidal forces drew out the spiral galaxy's stars, gas, and dust forming the spectacular tail. The intruder galaxy itself, estimated to lie about 300 thousand light-years behind the Tadpole, can be seen through foreground spiral arms at the upper left. Following its terrestrial namesake, the Tadpole Galaxy will likely lose its tail as it grows older, the tail's star clusters forming smaller satellites of the large spiral galaxy.

Sample Email

Below is what we'll send to your friends to invite them - edit or remove the optional note.

5 comments

Newest First | Oldest First

To be able to leave a comment please Log in or Sign up.

All Photos
  • All Photos
  • Member Photos
  • Professional Photos
  • Premium only
  • Entertainment
  • Family
  • Good Times
  • Home & Garden
  • News
  • Outdoors
  • Pets
  • Rides
  • Sports
  • Travel
  • Member Search
  • Advanced Search