

Bully Galaxy Rules the Neighborhood




In this image, taken by the Advanced Camera for Surveys aboard Hubble in July 2005, it appears that ESO 306-17 is surrounded by other galaxies, but astronomers are unsure if the bright galaxies at bottom left are at the same distance in the sky. If they are at the same distance or possibly in the foreground, they are much smaller than ESO 306-17, and will either be swallowed up by it or are far enough in the foreground to have little effect on it. IF they are in the background, they are probably comparable in size to ESO 306-17, and thus will also have little effect on it.



Acknowledgment: M. West (ESO)