Today the two streamers of ejected stars extend far beyond the original galaxies, resulting in the antennae shape. Within 400 million years, the Antennae's nuclei will collide and become a single core with stars, gas, and dust around it. Observations and simulations of colliding galaxies (e.g., by Alar Toomre) suggest that the Antennae Galaxies will eventually form an elliptical galaxy. X-ray source Areas containing large amounts of neon, magnesium, and silicon were found when the Chandra X-ray Observatory analyzed the Antennae Galaxies. Heavy elements such as these are necessary in order for planets that may contain life (as we know it) to form. The clouds imaged contain 16 times as much magnesium and 24 times as much silicon as the Sun. See also Whirlpool Galaxy List of largest galaxies References Notes External links Astronomy Picture of the Day: The Antennae Galaxies (10/22/1997) Astronomy Picture of the Day: The Antennae (05/07/2010) Astronomy Picture of the Day: The Antennae (04/29/2011) Astronomy Picture of the Day: The Antennae (02/12/2015) The Register: Galactic prang fingered in star formation mystery ESA/Hubble News Release ESA/Hubble images of Antennae Galaxies Animations of galactic collision producing antennae structures Antennae Galaxies at Constellation Guide Barred spiral galaxies Unbarred spiral galaxies Peculiar galaxies Interacting galaxies NGC 4038 Group Corvus (constellation) NGC objects 037967 244 060b Astronomical objects discovered in 1785 UGCA objects