NASA Arp 220 ULIRG Infrared Galaxy Shines Brighter Than Trillion Suns See Image Details

NASA’s James Webb telescope has captured the Arp 220 Infrared Galaxy (ULIRG). James Webb is considered to be the most powerful telescope in the world, which regularly captures unique pictures of our universe. The Arp 220 infrared galaxy shines with a luminosity equivalent to more than one trillion Suns. According to NASA, this dark and deep space image shows a large central object. The object resembles a snowflake with a bright white core and 8 pink-orange spikes.

NASA shared the image of Arp 220 on Instagram and wrote in the caption, “We love it with the fire of a trillion suns.” Arp 220, shown here, is an extremely luminous infrared galaxy (ULIRG), with a luminosity literally greater than a trillion Suns. (It emits 300 times more light than the Milky Way!)”

In the same caption, NASA further explained Arp 220, writing, “A large central object in a dark, deep space photo. This object resembles a snowflake-like feature with a bright white core and 8 pink-orange spikes.” This “snowflake” is actually two colliding galaxies with a merging core. The formation of stars around these cores creates spectacular light spikes that occur when shone with the optics of a telescope. The background is filled with scattered red, white and orange galaxies of various shapes and sizes.

Arp 220 is actually the meeting of two spiral galaxies, whose combined luminosity exceeds one trillion suns. Arp 220 is the brightest and closest ULIRG of the three galactic mergers closest to Earth.

According to NASA, this collision, which started about 700 million years ago, started the process of massive star formation.

NASA’s Webb observed Arp 220 with its Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam) and Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI).