NGC 5426 and NGC 5427 are two spiral galaxies
of similar sizes engaged in a dramatic dance. It is not certain
that this interaction will end in a collision and ultimately a
merging of the two galaxies, although the galaxies have already
been affected. Together known as Arp 271, this dance will last
for tens of millions of years, creating new stars as a result of
the mutual gravitational attraction between the galaxies, a pull
seen in the bridge of stars already connecting the two. Located
90 million light-years away towards the constellation of Virgo,
the Arp 271 pair is about 130,000 light-years across.
