NGC5426/5427

NGC 5426 and NGC 5427 are a pair of similarly sized interacting spiral galaxies, together also known as Arp 271, 120 million light years away. They are both spiral galaxies that are currently in the early stages of a gravitational interaction. They are separated by about 21,000 light-years, which is close enough for tidal forces to begin distorting their shapes. The galaxies show clear signs of tidal bridges—streams of stars and gas being pulled between them due to gravitational interaction.