Intergalactic Alignment: Disc Galaxy IC 2810 in Leo | Hubble

Intergalactic Alignment: Disc Galaxy IC 2810 in Leo | Hubble

IC 2810 is a disc galaxy viewed nearly edge-on. It is slightly disturbed by gravitational interaction with a smaller, dusty companion (located to the bottom of the image). The larger galaxy shows blue knots of star formation. Although the pair has no overlapping region at present, it is possible that the two will eventually collide in the future. IC 2810 is located in the constellation of Leo, the Lion, about 450 million light-years away.

The Hubble Space Telescope has been operating for over three decades and continues to make ground-breaking discoveries that shape our fundamental understanding of the universe. 

Hubble is a project of international cooperation between NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA). NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, manages the telescope and mission operations. 

Lockheed Martin Space, based in Denver, Colorado, also supports mission operations at Goddard. The Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) in Baltimore, Maryland, operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA), conducts Hubble science operations for NASA.

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

Release Date: April 24, 2008

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