In the center of this image we can see a spectacular triplet of galaxies, capturing a three-way gravitational tug of war between interacting galaxies.
This system, known as Arp 195, appears in the Atlas of Peculiar Galaxies , a list showing some of the strangest and most wonderful galaxies in our universe.
The timeline for the Hubble observations is calculated using a computer algorithm that allows the spacecraft to occasionally collect additional snapshots of data between longer observations.
Sister galaxies fight too
Precisely this image of the triplet of conflicting galaxies in Arp 195, located 763 million light years away from Earth, is one of those snapshots. Additional observations like these do more than provide spectacular images; they also help identify promising targets to track with telescopes like NASA / ESA / CSA's upcoming James Webb Space Telescope.
"Observation time with Hubble is extremely valuable, so astronomers don't want to waste a second," NASA explained.
Reference: NASA
