NASA’s Hubble Spots Spiral Galaxy Being Ripped Apart [VIDEO]

A dramatic cosmic image captured by NASA's Hubble Space Telescope reveals spiral galaxy ESO 137-001, in the southern constellation of Triangulum Australe, undergoing violent changes. The galaxy is being ripped apart.

A part of the Norma Cluster, the spiral galaxy ESO 137-001 is present near the centre of the Great Attractor, which is known to have strong gravitational forces. It is located 200 million light years away from the Milky Way.

The new image shows journey of the ESO 137-001 through the centre of a galaxy cluster Abell 3627. As the spiral galaxy moves through the heart of the cluster, its entrails are being ripped out. This event leaves bright blue streaks that are signs of the violent cosmic event.

The blue streaks flowing outwards towards the vast space appear to shine brightly in the ultraviolent light. The intense blue streaks are hot infant stars covered in gas that are being shredded from the galaxy.

According to a statement by Hubble, the galaxy is undergoing 'ram pressure stripping,' which is the pressure applied on a body moving in a fluid medium.

The disc of gas has a curved shape. This is due to the pressure applied by the heated gas.

The drag pressure exerted by the cluster may be strong enough to bend the spiral galaxy, but the strong gravitational pull of the galaxy captures most of the dust.

The disrobing of the galaxy has helped astronomers get an insight into the mechanism that triggers the evolution of galaxies.