The universe dresses up for Halloween as Hubble captures skull-like galaxy

By Georgina Torbet Published October 28, 2019

This new image from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope captures two galaxies of equal size in a collision that appears to resemble a ghostly face. This observation was made on June 19, 2019, in visible light by the telescope’s Advanced Camera for Surveys. NASA, ESA, J. Dalcanton, B.F. Williams, and M. Durbin (University of Washington)

Just in time for Halloween, scientists from the European Space Agency have released this image captured by the Hubble Space Telescope showing what looks like a ghostly face peering out from the dark depths of space.

Recommended Videos

In the spooky-looking system, two galaxies are colliding in a violent encounter. When galaxies come close to each other like this, one galaxy may be destroyed by the other (which is what astronomers believe will happen to the Milky Way when it collides with the Large Magellanic Cloud in two billion years). Alternatively, the galaxies may merge peacefully to become one larger galaxy. Astronomers are still not entirely sure what determines whether colliding galaxies will lead to happy mergers or violent destruction, but they think it is related to the supermassive black holes which lie at the galaxies’ centers.

Another effect of two galaxies merging is that the disks of dust and gas which surround each galaxy become twisted and pulled by gravity. This can lead to merging galaxies with a variety of unusual shapes. In this case, the close proximity of the two galaxies has created a rare ring structure which is what gives the impression of eyes within the skull.

Only a few hundred ring galaxies are located in our galaxy, and this ring structure won’t last for long. We can only see the rings when the galaxies are at just the right orientation for us to see them straight-on, and soon the galaxies will complete their merger and the delicate rings will be lost.

The system is located 704 million light-years away from us, and it was logged in the astronomical catalog known as the Catalogue of Southern Peculiar Galaxies and Associations. The catalog of strange-looking cosmic objects was first compiled by astronomer Halton C. Arp in 1966, who then partnered with fellow astronomer Barry F. Madore to extend the catalog in 1987.

In the catalog, the system is called by the less-than-thrilling name Arp-Madore 2026-424 (AM 2026-424), but we prefer to call it the Spooky Skull galaxy.

Georgina Torbet

Former Space Writer

Georgina has been the space writer at Digital Trends space writer for six years, covering human space exploration, planetary…

Topics

Emerging Tech

Anti-surveillance clothing is getting cheaper, but don’t expect an invisibility cloak

Affordable shirts now claim to confuse facial recognition, although their protection depends heavily on the camera and software watching you

Chart, Plot, Adult

Anti-surveillance clothing is starting to look less like an art-school experiment and more like something you could actually wear outside. Shirts designed to confuse facial recognition systems now cost about as much as ordinary streetwear, although buying one won’t make you disappear.

The Guardian reports that designers are using face-like prints, unusual cuts and infrared lights to interfere with computer vision. These techniques target specific weaknesses, so their success depends on what happens to be watching you.

Emerging Tech

This spinning drone hides in plain sight using a visual illusion

This drone doesn't turn invisible. It tricks your brain into thinking it has.

Phantom Twist

For decades, engineers have chased the dream of an invisible drone. The usual approaches have involved transparent materials, camouflage coatings, or complex optical systems that bend light around an object. Researchers at Northwestern University decided to take a completely different route. Instead of hiding the drone itself, they chose to fool the human eye.

The result is Phantom Twist, an experimental drone that spins so rapidly it almost disappears into the background. It's not technically invisible, but to anyone watching, it looks more like a faint blur than a flying machine.

Emerging Tech

This smart knitted fabric can flip switches, count your steps, and even change shape

Grandma's knitting just entered its Iron Man era

Representative Image

For most of us, knitting brings to mind sweaters, scarves, and perhaps an ambitious grandmother determined to make winter more fashionable. Researchers at Harvard University, however, have a far more futuristic vision. They've transformed ordinary knitted fabric into a programmable material capable of changing shape, acting as an electrical switch, sensing movement, and potentially forming the foundation of tomorrow's wearable technology.

The research, published in Advanced Functional Materials by scientists at the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS), demonstrates how machine-knitted textiles can "snap" between multiple stable shapes without relying on motors or rigid mechanical parts.