Astronomers spotted a rare galactic three-way where three galaxies are literally eating each other at the same time.
March 20, 2026
Original Paper
UGC 2369S: a Kpc Scale Triple Merger Candidate Identified in a Nearby Luminous Infrared Galaxy
arXiv · 2603.18499
The Takeaway
While two galaxies crashing together is common, finding three distinct galactic cores merging simultaneously is incredibly rare. Observations show that in this chaotic three-way crash, the gravitational forces are so intense they are 'cannibalizing' the central bulge of stars from one of the participating galaxies.
From the abstract
We present high spatial resolution ($\lesssim$1.0''), multi-wavelength observations of UGC 2369S, a nearby luminous infrared galaxy showing three distinct cores separated on kpc scales in near-infrared (NIR) imaging with significant X-ray emission. Utilizing optical/NIR adaptive optics (AO), radio, \chandra X-ray, as well as archival HST imaging, we perform a comprehensive study of AGN activity, obscuration, and host properties. As one of the clearest cases of a triple-nucleus merger at $\simeq$