Locked in a galactic embrace🫂⁣ Millions of years ago, these two spiral galaxies, as seen in mid-infrared light by NASAWebb and in X-ray by NASAChandraXray, grazed each other. That was the start of a literally explosive relationship: Both galaxies have hosted seven supernovae that we know of. Each of these star explosions may have cleared space in the galaxies’ arms, rearranging gas and dust that later cooled and allowed many new stars to form.⁣ Thanks to their collision, this cuddly pair of galaxies is also quite the star factory. Combined, they’re estimated to form the equivalent of two dozen new Sun-sized stars every year. In comparison, our Milky Way galaxy makes the equivalent of two or three new Sun-like stars yearly.⁣ While the two galaxies are still separate, they are in the process of merging. Billions of years from now, they will merge into a single, more massive galaxy.⁣ Image description: A pair of colliding spiral galaxies. Here, both spirals are shown face on, with th...