Cosmic collision sparks blinding x-ray light show

(Image: X-ray: NASA/CXC/SAO/S.Mineo et al, Optical: NASA/STScI, Infrared: NASA/JPL-Caltech)

Sparks are flying between these two spiral galaxies as they collide, producing a spectacular x-ray light show about 130 million light years away from Earth. Some of the brightest x-ray bursts from supernova activity ever detected are captured in pink.

The x-ray wavelengths, which were picked up by NASA's Chandra satellite observatory between galaxies NGC 2207 and IC 2163, indicate the intense rate at which new stars are forming during the galactic encounter. Shockwaves from the collision cause gigantic gas clouds to collapse, which sparks the birth of new stars.