A Menagerie of Intertwined Galaxies

Collectively known as RSCG 55, this captivating spectacle of gravitationally intertwined galaxies lies in the constellation Virgo. This image was taken by the Dark Energy Camera (DECam) which was built by the Department of Energy and mounted on the prime focus of Víctor M. Blanco 4-meter Telescope at the U.S. National Science Foundation Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory (CTIO), a Program of NSF NOIRLab, in Chile. 

This is a group of interacting galaxies, meaning they are located close enough to influence each other gravitationally. Over time, gravitational interactions can greatly impact how galaxies evolve, leading to distorted shapes, increased rates of star formation, and galactic mergers. Gravitational interactions between galaxies have had a big impact on the variety of galaxies we see in the Universe today. What evidence of gravitational interaction can you see in this image? The most obvious examples are the well-defined tidal bridges which appear as faint trails of material between the galaxies. These bridges are made of stars, gas, and dust that have been pulled from one galaxy to another during a close encounter in the past.

Explore the area around RSCG 55 in the DESI Legacy Imaging Surveys viewer. This survey was conducted to identify targets for the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) operations. See a wider version of this image here.