Euclid spots interacting galaxies

This image shows an area of the mosaic released by ESA’s Euclid space telescope on 15 October 2024. The area is zoomed in 150 times compared to the large mosaic. On the centre-left of the image, Euclid captured two galaxies (called ESO 364-G035 and -G036) that are interacting with each other, 420 million light-years from us. On the right of the image, galaxy cluster Abell 3381 is visible, 678 million light-years away from us.

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Equatorial sky coordinates RA/DEC: 06:10:01.48 / -33:49:36.85
Galactic sky coordinates GLON/GLAT: 240.54, -22.75
Area: 0.007 sq. deg.

[Image description: Three groups of light sources, as well as a scatter of piercing dots of light with six faint spikes stand out in stark contrast against a black backdrop. The most prominent light sources occupy the centre of the image. They are two hazy white spirals, that appear to be swirling in a cosmic dance with each other, with the lower spiral being larger than the one above it. On the right side of the image, two spots of gleaming yellow light draw attention. The hazy light blobs emit a golden glow from their centre, which fades out in a circular shape into the background. In the bottom left corner of the picture, another spiral shape can be seen. It appears as if it is a thin white bar spinning in a circle and emitting a white spray of paint at its ends, leaving behind a diffuse trace of light.]