NASA calls NGC 1614 a "peculiar galaxy."

The Watch Sweet Alibis Onlinebrilliant cosmic object is the result of two merging galaxies. There are a number of wild things happening in this Hubble image, posted on Friday by NASA.

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  • To the right upper right is a "tidal tail," which forms when stars and gas are "stripped" from the outside arms of galaxies during a merger, according to Cosmos.

  • There's a "burst" of radiant star formation in the center of the merger, notes NASA, as gases from the smaller galaxy stream into the larger galaxy.

Mashable ImageA cosmic collision. Credit: ESA / HUBBLE / NASA / A. ADAMO

The merged galaxy lies some 200 million light-years from our planet. But it's a conspicuous sight, via a powerful telescope.

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The galaxy's chaotic history lends to its profound luminosity. It's the second brightest galaxy within 250 million light-years of Earth, said NASA.