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Cosmic ExclamationTwo galaxies in the early stages of a cosmic collision form a stellar exclamation mark in a newly released picture that combines data from two NASA telescopes.The Chandra X-ray Observatory and the Hubble Space Telescope joined forces to make the new picture of the merging pair, known as VV 340. The two spiral galaxies are slated to become one, although the process takes millions of years.
Image courtesy CXC/IfA/STScI/NRAO/NASA

Space Pictures This Week: Mars Rover, Galaxy Smashup, More

Galaxies "punctuate" the cosmos, the sun shoots a huge flare, a Mars rover reaches its target, and more in the week's best space pictures.

August 12, 2011