Result of a galactic crash
Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA
Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA
Acknowledgements: D. Calzetti (UMass) and the LEGUS Team, J. Maund
(University of Sheffield), and R. Chandar (University of Toledo)
Videos
Pan across NGC 4490
This image, taken with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, shows the galaxy NGC 4490. The scattered and warped appearance of the galaxy are the result of a past cosmic collision with another galaxy, NGC 4485 (not visible in this image).
The extreme tidal forces of the interaction between the two galaxies have carved out the shapes and properties of NGC 4490. Once a barred spiral galaxy, the outlying regions of NGC 4490 have been stretched out, resulting in its nickname of the Cocoon Galaxy.
Source: ESA/Hubble/Images
