New images from the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope (VLT) show the elliptical galaxy NGC 3640, located 88 million light-years from Earth, appearing to approach a merger with its smaller galactic neighbor, NGC 3641. NGC 3640's unusual oval shape suggests a history of absorbing smaller galaxies.
The VLT images indicate that NGC 3640 has consumed other galaxies over billions of years. NGC 3641 is currently within its path, potentially becoming the next galaxy to be absorbed. As galaxies approach, gravitational forces intensify, leading to collisions and mergers that disrupt their original structures.
Currently, NGC 3641 shows no signs of distortion, suggesting that NGC 3640 is not yet close enough to pose an immediate threat. Astronomers at the Italian National Institute for Astrophysics used the VLT images to analyze NGC 3640's past collisions, identifying "fossil markers" from stars of previously engulfed galaxies.