Galaxies Collide

This video podcast from the Chandra X-ray Center shows a textbook example of the very early stages of two galaxies colliding. Astronomers have named the edge-on galaxy at the top VV 340A, and the face-on galaxy at the bottom VV 340B. Millions of years later these two spirals will merge—much like the Milky Way (i.e., our galaxy) and Andromeda are predicted to do billions of years from now. Chandra data are being shown here with optical data from Hubble.

The video has been prepared for use on the hyperwall.

See http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/2011/vv340/index.html