This image, which looks like a monster merger, actually contains Arp 122, which consists of two separate galaxies colliding (seen at right). Galaxy collisions and mergers are dramatic events, but they occur over hundreds of millions of years.

Galaxies are made up of stars and their solar systems, dust, gas and invisible dark matter. These components can experience enormous changes in the gravitational forces acting on them during a merger, which changes the structure of the galaxies involved over time.

However, due to the extraordinarily large distances and timescales of mergers, stars and planets almost never literally collide with each other in these interactions.

Image description:

Two spiral galaxies are merging on the right side of the image. One is seen facing away and has a circular shape. The other appears to be lying in front of the first. This galaxy is seen as a disc tilted away from the viewer and is partially warped. In the lower left corner, a large elliptical galaxy, cut off by the frame, appears as light emanating from a point. Various smaller galaxies fill the background.

Doesn't it look like a pearl?