NGC 6240

NGC 6240 - a particularly beautiful butterfly galaxy (sometimes also known as "Lobster Galaxy"). It is composed of a pair of lesser galaxies, which are in the process of merging into each other. These visually enthralling galaxies are located in the Ophiuchus Constellation, at a distance of roughly 400 million light-years from Earth. Ophiuchius is other wise known as the "Serpent Holder". The galaxies will eventually merge completely together within some tens, to hundreds of millions of years. When this finally happens, it is thought that the two giant black holes within these galaxies will drift toward one another, formaing an even bigger black hole.