Astronomy Picture of the Day · February 24, 1997

The Trail of the Intruder

The Astronomy Picture of the Day for February 24, 1997 is “The Trail of the Intruder,” an image. It is credited to The Trail of the Intruder Credit: J.Higdon (NRAO), C.Struck, P.Appleton (ISU), K.Borne (Hughes STX), R.Lucas (STScI), NASA. The original explanation runs about 111 words.

From the explanation

“Explanation : In yesterday’s episode our hero, the Cartwheel galaxy , had survived a chance cosmic collision with a small intruder galaxy – triggering an expanding ring of star formation.”

— APOD editors, February 24, 1997

Read the full explanation on science.nasa.gov

At a glance

Date: February 24, 1997
Type: Image
Credit: Credit: The Trail of the Intruder Credit: J.Higdon (NRAO), C.Struck, P.Appleton (ISU), K.Borne (Hughes STX), R.Lucas (STScI), NASA
Copyright: No copyright notice on the entry. Check the credited institution’s own usage rules before reusing it.
Explanation length: About 111 words

All of February 1997 → · 1997 by month → · Full archive since 1995 →

Topics in this entry

Galaxies

Topics are matched from words in the title and explanation.

On this day: February 24 in other years

On Amazon

Popular picks for space fans

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Electronics Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition 32GB Read astronomy and space-history books anywhere. View on Amazon → Electronics Bose QuietComfort Wireless Headphones Noise-cancelling headphones for documentaries and launch livestreams. View on Amazon →

Source

Astronomy Picture of the Day, February 24, 1997 — science.nasa.gov/image-article/apod-1997-february-24-the-trail-of-the-intruder

Copy taken Oct 28, 2026, 2:39 AM EDT. The image and explanation belong to their creators. OpenOrbit is not affiliated with or endorsed by NASA.