How does a galaxy die? Either the stars burn out and the galaxy fades into oblivion, or the stupendous gravitational forces inside and outside the galaxy slowly rips it apart. This is what is about (well, in a billion years or so) to happen to NGC 1427A. According to HubbleSite, this irregular galaxy is under the gravitational grasp of a large gang of galaxies, called the Fornax cluster. Our poor galaxy is plunging headlong into this cluster at 600 kilometers per second.

NGC 1427A (Courtesy: HubbleSite)The shock waves generated due to the high speeds (the leading edge of the galaxy is compressing the interstellar gas in the Fornax cluster, resulting in high pressure regions) is causing a tremendous rate of stellar growth in this galaxy, especially the birth of new blue stars. This pressure wave is also responsible for the beautiful arrowhead outline of the galaxy which is over 20,000 light years long, and about 62 million light years away.