Amazing view of galaxies that look like they’re colliding, but aren’t
![](https://develop.bigthink.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/1sV2hzyOVllTFpNtXnmfylA.jpeg?w=480&h=270&crop=1)
These cosmic optical illusions are more common than you think.
“I know there is strength in the differences between us. I know there is comfort where we overlap.” –Ani DiFranco
If the Universe were truly infinite, you could look forever in any given direction and eventually run into stars or galaxies.
![](https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/800/0*WaXkM_x6kGQUrCDj.jpg)
At 46.1 billion light years in any given direction, with hundreds of billions of galaxies inside, most regions of the sky don’t just have one galaxy, but many.
![](https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/800/0*Gw69o11ge9MOAoER.jpg)
Sometimes, these galaxies are close together in physical proximity, leading to gravitational interactions, disruptions, and eventually mergers. But sometimes, it’s just a coincidence.
![](https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/800/0*0kstUAwtGUvHhhBV.jpg)
When you look out at the sky, what you see as a two-dimensional region is actually a three-dimensional cone.
![](https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/800/0*fLFEF-R3JFHwH0bO.jpg)
Sometimes, multiple galaxies at different distances appear to be right atop one another, even overlapping.
![](https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/800/0*Weox8Lb2PneTItSx.jpg)
While interacting galaxies — ones in the same physical location — show increased rates of star formation, these “coincidence” galaxies are all quiet.
![](https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/800/0*u6Lkufy4dPSa04b-.jpg)
Researcher William Keel has been involved in identifying and cataloguing these galaxies for a long time, having identified 88 himself.
![](https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/800/0*s16Ga0GApn-ANxf1.png)
The Sloan Digital Sky Survey and the citizen science project Galaxy Zoo have teamed up to push the number known past 1,000.
![](https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/800/0*Eudt5HZWBLJOzSJU.png)
With no disruption, gas stripping, weird shapes or intense starbursts, these galaxies are spectacular for our eyes alone, nothing more.
![](https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/800/0*7XF8wIHlIOQJIkvp.jpg)
Mostly Mute Monday tells the story of a single astronomical phenomenon or object in visuals, images, video and no more than 200 words.
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