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This interacting galaxy duo, called Arp 143,

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holds the distorted, star-forming spiral galaxy

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NGC 2445 at the right, along with its less
flashy companion,

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NGC 2444 at the left.

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Astronomers think both galaxies passed through
each other,

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igniting the unique triangular-shaped
firestorm of star birth.

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Because NGC 2445 is rich in gas,

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the fuel
of star formation, it holds thousands of infant stars.

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Yet it hasn’t escaped the gravitational
clutches of its partner.

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The pair is waging a cosmic tug-of-war,

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and
NGC 2444 appears to be winning.

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The galaxy has pulled gas from its companion,

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forming the oddball triangle of newly-minted stars.

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By studying head-on galaxy collisions like
this,

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we can better understand the origins

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and evolution of ringed star formation in
galaxies.