A Galaxy Grouping in 2D and 3D: Stephan's Quintet

In 1877, Edouard Stephan discovered a tight visual grouping of five galaxies located in the constellation Pegasus. The galaxies of Stephan's Quintet are both overlapping and interacting, and have become the most famous among the compact groups of galaxies. Astronomers have long known that four of the galaxies (all of which are yellowish-white in this video) form a physical group in space, while the fifth (bluish) is a foreground galaxy. In addition, a sixth galaxy (yellowish-white and on the far left) is likely to be part of the physical grouping. Hence, this 2D quintet that is a 3D quartet may actually be a 2D sextet that is a 3D quintet.
This visualization makes apparent the spatial distribution of these galaxies. The video starts with a view that matches our 2D perspective. As the sequence travels in 3D, the foreground blue spiral, NGC 7320, quickly passes by the camera. The possible sixth galaxy member on the left, NGC 7320C, is seen at roughly the same distance as the remaining four galaxies. The camera turns to pass between two strongly interacting galaxies, NGC 7319 (left) and NGC 7318B (right), with each galaxy's spiral structure distorted by the gravitational interaction. In contrast, NGC 7318B overlaps in 2D with the more distant elliptical NGC 7318A, but does not have a strong interaction. The other elliptical, NGC 7317, is also seen as more distant than the strongly interacting pair. In 3D, the four or five galaxies in this group are gathered together by their mutual gravity, and may collide and merge together in the future.
Credits: G. Bacon, J. DePasquale, F. Summers, Z. Levay (STScI)

[@FrankSummers]

Thank you for the complements. We are so glad that you enjoy our work. Please post if you have questions.

[@carlottasecchi4261]

Thank you so much, Dr. Summers. I have a question about the shape of galaxies. I've understood a little bit, thank to your precious videos, that if it's distorted it tells us that the galaxy is interacting with another one quite near.
But which other things does the shape tell us about a galaxy?
I add one thing about the beautiful video. It shows so well how appearances can be deceptive and how real knowledge can see under looks! Thank you

[@nagualdesign]

_*Compliments_ ;-) Also, help yourself to the peanuts.

[@carlottasecchi4261]

Dear Mr Summers, thank you and your team for such amazing beautiful scientific works and for sharing with us so generously.

[@Astrostevo]

Seconded. Thankyou all.

[@FrankSummers]

You are welcome. Most of the credit for this visualization goes to my colleagues, Greg Bacon and Joe DePasquale. They did the hard parts on this one.

[@fridun007]

Breathtaking...

[@dotplace309]

Beautiful

[@twinklestar3556]

Thank you!

[@LaunchPadAstronomy]

Nicely, nicely done!

[@user-yj6ul8uy6b]

Awesome 👏👏👌... Great efforts Team....😔😀👍

[@DickHolman]

Imagine the view from a system in the widest orbit, at the closest point between the galaxies.
Thank you for such an inspiring video.

[@totanaflores8210]

Thank you Misha.

[@RowanWatersStudios]

Misha Collins also sent me this for my bday yesterday

[@EricMalette]

I wish you guys could do this for more objects--it's amazing.

[@yatietie4100]

Beautiful 😍💚

[@BartAlder]

I always wanted to start a band with four other astronerds and call it Stephan's Quintet.

[@sumguy835]

I’m thinking a great number of civilisations, without fractional reserve banking...

[@billalhossainfrancis7685]

Wonderful

[@orlandinabellini395]

Bellissimo il quintetto di Stefan che quintetto si dimostra non.essere e I tempi degli eventi in proporzione

[@farkarf]

I love visualizing and this is beautiful.
But I think from this perspective, owing to time dilation, those galaxies should be whirling

[@theworldoftheuniverse2693]

Amazing and beautiful thanks for you 🌹👍

[@IC82Hillford]

"if it's just us.. seems like an awful waste of space"

[@billalhossainfrancis7685]

Nice

[@Justin_Martin]

Wonderful view 🇺🇸👑💕

[@CooManTunes]

Was this video actually shot by Hubble? Incredible.

[@Damu187357]

Morning. This page once gave monthly "star gazing and celestial" findings. Can someone please tell me where I can go to experience them again. Thank you.

[@terratec1001]

If you're referring to "Tonight's Sky", then find the videos here: ruclips.net/user/spacetelescopevisionvideos

[@Damu187357]

@@terratec1001 thank you so much ..... Been missing them

[@RowanWatersStudios]

Um... wheres the sound?

[@brianroberts5740]

Quintet, quartet, sextet, huh? How bout some stars pretty close together?

[@Justin_Martin]

Wonderful view 🇺🇸👑💕