ABOUT THIS IMAGE:

This galaxy features a single nucleus, containing a blue central disk with delicate fine structure in the outer parts, and tidal tails indicative of two former disk galaxies. At present these galaxies appear to have completed their merger. The remnant shows clear signs that the merger was gas-rich and accompanied by a starburst. NGC 17 is gas-rich and can sustain its strong central starburst and present mild central activity for some time to come. NGC 17 is located about 250 million light-years away in the constellation of Cetus, the Whale.

This image is part of a large collection of 59 images of merging galaxies taken by the Hubble Space Telescope and released on the occasion of its 18th anniversary on 24th April 2008.

Object Names: NGC 17, NGC 34*

Image Type: Astronomical

Credit: NASA, ESA, the Hubble Heritage (STScI/AURA)-ESA/Hubble Collaboration, and A. Evans (University of Virginia, Charlottesville/NRAO/Stony Brook University)

Technical facts about this image:

NEWS RELEASE IMAGES

The above image is part of a montage:

Montage Image: Cosmic Collisions Galore! Image Type: Astronomical PRC2008-16a

Hubble Interacting Galaxy Arp 148 Image Type: Astronomical

Hubble Interacting Galaxy UGC 9618 Image Type: Astronomical

Hubble Interacting Galaxy Arp 256 Image Type: Astronomical

Hubble Interacting Galaxy NGC 6670 Image Type: Astronomical

Hubble Interacting Galaxy NGC 6240 Image Type: Astronomical

Hubble Interacting Galaxy ESO 593-8 Image Type: Astronomical

Hubble Interacting Galaxy NGC 454 Image Type: Astronomical

Hubble Interacting Galaxy UGC 8335 Image Type: Astronomical

Hubble Interacting Galaxy NGC 6786 Image Type: Astronomical

Hubble Interacting Galaxy ESO 77-14 Image Type: Astronomical

Hubble Interacting Galaxy NGC 6050 Image Type: Astronomical

All images from this news release:

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