Do giant elliptical galaxies really challenge the age of the Universe? – Futura-Sciences
February 23, 2026
4 min
The macabre palette of these galaxies is due to a mixture of mid-infrared light from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope and visible and ultraviolet light from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope. These two galaxies grazed each other millions of years ago. The smaller spiral on the left, cataloged as IC 2163, passed behind NGC 2207, the larger spiral galaxy on the right. Both galaxies have a high rate of star formation. Together, they are estimated to form the equivalent of two dozen new Sun-sized stars each year. Our own galaxy, the Milky Way, forms the equivalent of two or three new Sun-like stars annually. The two galaxies have hosted seven known supernovae, each of which may have freed up space in their arms, rearranging the gas and dust that subsequently cooled, and allowing for the formation of many new stars. (Find these areas by searching for the bluest regions.) © NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI
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