The two colliding galaxies NGC4038 & NGC4039 are known as the 'Antennae' because of the long insect-like tidal streamers of stars extending out in opposite directions from the cores.
The bright blue knots in the galaxies disturbed cores are enormous star forming regions, triggered by the compression of interstellar gas due to the collision.
The Antennae galaxies are located about 63 million light years away in the southern constellation Corvus.

OPTICS 10" Newtonian f/5.2
MOUNT Losmandy G11 equatorial
CAMERA Philips ToUCam Pro SC1 webcam
FILTERS None
EXPOSURE 50 x 121s
DATE/TIME 05/04/2006 12:29 UTC
LOCATION My backyard observatory in west Auckland, New Zealand