NGC 3597

NGC 3597 is the product of a collision between two good-sized galaxies, and is slowly evolving to become a giant elliptical galaxy. This type of galaxy has grown more and more common as the universe has evolved, with initially small galaxies merging and progressively building up into larger galactic structures over time. Astronomers study NGC 3597 to learn more about how elliptical galaxies form, as many ellipticals began their lives far earlier in the history of the universe.