This is two galaxies that have collided! They are located in the southern constellation of Corvus, aka Crow :). The two galaxies seen here are NGC 4038 and NGC 4039. This event actually lasts hundreds of millions of years, but even so in the entire event the stars do not collide. Instead their clouds of molecular gas and dust do, triggering star formation near the center of the collision. This spans approximately 500 light-years across, and is aptly named "Antennae" due to its long shape. And the matter that is far from the center were flung there by gravitational tidal forces.
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