Stephan’s Quintet includes four distant galaxies that are connected to each other through gravity and one galaxy that is much closer to us but just happens to lie in the same direction in the sky. The four allied galaxies are involved in a gravitational relationship that’s transforming some of their shapes and sparking new waves of star birth both inside and outside of the galaxies.

NASA, ESA, and the Hubble SM4 ERO Team

Publication: September 9, 2009