7 mesmerising pictures of interacting galaxies by NASA

Gravitational interactions between galaxies are common and are an important part of galactic evolution. When galaxies collide, their contents mix, and the slow-moving chaos molds them into one big galactic ball

This image shows two galaxies that are interacting and separated by a stream of stars. The larger galaxy, NGC 5410, is a spiral galaxy with a bright white bar of stars at its center. The smaller galaxy, UGC 8932, has an irregular shape.

This image shows two galaxies that contain active galactic nuclei (AGNs), which are extremely luminous central regions of a galaxy.

This image of ARP 91 shows two spiral galaxies that are so intertwined that they have a collective name. The lower galaxy is NGC 5953, and the upper right galaxy is NGC 5954.

This image shows a head-on collision between two galaxies that created a triangular-shaped star-birthing frenzy. The galaxies are NGC 2445 and NGC 2444.

This image of Arp 142 shows a distorted spiral galaxy called the Penguin and a compact elliptical galaxy called the Egg. The galaxies are locked in an embrace and are approximately the same mass.

NASA's Hubble Telescope has captured his stunning image of M51, the Whirlpool galaxy. M51, is actually two interacting galaxies (formally NGC 5194 and 5195).

The galaxies of Arp 273 have recently interacted via gravity to make a shape resembling a cosmic rose.

Credit: NASA