![Three galaxies - two of which are on the left and are relatively close in the picture, visibly distorting each other. The third galaxy is on the right side of the image.](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/potw1432a-jpg.webp?w=4096&format=png)
Galactic Pair Zw I 136
This image shows a host of colorful, differently-shaped galaxies; some bright and nearby, some fuzzy, and some so far from us they appear as small specks in the background sky. The most prominent are the two on the left — 2MASX J16133219+5103436 at the bottom, and its blue-tinted companion SDSS J161330.18+510335 at the top. The latter is slightly closer to us than its partner, but they're still near enough to one another to interact. Together, the two make up a galactic pair named Zw I 136. Both galaxies in this pair have disturbed shapes and extended soft halos. They don’t seem to conform to our view of a “typical” galaxy — unlike the third bright object in this frame, a side-on spiral seen towards the right of the image.
Credits: ESA/Hubble & NASA Acknowledgement: Judy Schmidt
Image CreditESA/Hubble & NASA Acknowledgement: Judy Schmidt
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