Deep within the constellation of Pegasus lies a tight grouping of five galaxies.
Called Stephan’s Quintet, this collection showcases different galaxy types ...
... and how they can interact in dense environments.
Ground-based observations show the galaxy arrangement ...
... and the Hubble Space Telescope captures the fine details.
Using infrared light, the Spitzer Space Telescope features cool gas and dust ...
...and the Webb Space Telescope unveils new depth and resolution.
The Chandra X-ray Observatory reveals a high-energy component both in and between the galaxies.
In three dimensions, this spiral galaxy is much closer than the other galaxies.
The visible light view shows numerous pink star-forming regions and blue young stars.
The infrared view highlights the cool gas and dust amid a diffuse collection of older stars.
The more distant galaxies are grouped together.
These elliptical galaxies are dominated by older stars ...
... and have rounded shapes in both infrared and visible light.
This barred spiral galaxy has few star-forming regions and some irregular spiral arms.
Its core contains an active supermassive black hole.
Energetic material around the black hole blazes brightly in x-rays.
More distant material shines in infrared light.
A tidal tail provides evidence of an interaction with this nearby galaxy.
This small spiral is part of the group, and passed near the larger barred spiral several hundred million years ago.
This galaxy is undergoing a highspeed collision as it crashes into the group from behind.
Its shape features distorted spiral arms and stretched out tails with considerable star formation.
This x-ray shocked ridge marks where the galaxy is colliding with the dense gas between the galaxies.
A “bridge” of material that extends in front of the barred spiral galaxy can be seen in x-rays, ...
... as bright clouds in infrared light, ...
... and dark clouds in visible light.
An encounter with the distant elliptical may have stretched out the spiral before its current chaotic collision.
Stephan’s Quintet shows several types of galaxies, ...
.. including some with stretched and distorted shapes ...
.. that highlight interactions within the group.
NASA’s Great Observatories provide multi-wavelength observations that enable diverse insights into this complex compact group.