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Image Gallery > Featured Image on June 27, 2008

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The galaxies known as NGC 5427 (left) and NGC 5426 are beginning a slow gravitational embrace that eventually could lead them to merge to form a single giant galaxy. A faint bridge of stars links the two galaxies, each of which is similar in size to our own Milky Way. The early stages of their gravitational encounter already is triggering new starbirth, which is taking place in the red blobs in the galaxies' spiral arms. The image was snapped at the Gemini South Telescope in Chile. [Gemini Observatory]

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