NGC 2623

NGC 2623, also known as Arp 243, is a highly disturbed spiral galaxy located approximately 250 million light-years away in the constellation Cancer. It is the result of a major galaxy merger, likely involving two spiral galaxies that collided and are now in the late stages of merging into a single galaxy.

The galaxy's morphology is complex and asymmetrical due to the ongoing gravitational interactions. It features two prominent tidal tails composed of stars and gas, stretching far out from the main body of the galaxy. These tidal tails are formed by the gravitational disruption of the original galaxies during the merger process.

NGC 2623 is classified as a luminous infrared galaxy (LIRG), indicating that it emits a significant amount of energy in the infrared portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. This intense infrared emission is largely due to the large-scale star formation triggered by the galaxy merger. The collision of gas and dust during the merger compresses the material, leading to the formation of numerous new stars.

The galaxy contains several regions of intense star formation activity, including super star clusters. These clusters are large collections of young, massive stars that are formed in bursts of star formation. The presence of these clusters further supports the idea that NGC 2623 is undergoing a period of rapid and intense star formation.

Studying NGC 2623 provides valuable insights into the processes of galaxy mergers and their role in galaxy evolution. It serves as a local example of the types of interactions that were more common in the early universe, when galaxies were closer together and collisions were more frequent. The galaxy's high rate of star formation and unusual morphology make it an object of ongoing research and observation.