Hubble views a bizarre cosmic quartet

This new NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image shows a gathering of four cosmic companions. This quartet forms part of a group of galaxies known as the Hickson Compact Group 16, or HCG 16 — a galaxy group bursting with dramatic star formation, tidal tails, galactic mergers and black holes.

Acknowledgement: Jane Charlton (Pennsylvania State University, USA)