NASA ESA Hubble Space Telescope image of the Antennae Galaxies

Hubble Space Telescope has produced the best image of the Antennae Galaxies, following its earlier photos from 1997 and 2006. 

Improvements made during the servicing missions allowed this achievement to occur. 

Two formerly spiral galaxies, NGC 4038 and NGC 4039, have torn at each other gravitationally for the past few hundred million years, pulling stars from each other into a streaming arc between them. 

Eventually they will form one large elliptical galaxy. The galaxies derive their names from features not visible in this image—far-flung stars and gas streamers stretching out into long antenna-like structures.

Credit: NASA ESA Hubble