These knots are large clusters of stars imbedded in vast regions of ionized hydrogen gas . The high abundance of relatively dim star clusters is quite unlike our Milky Way's globular cluster system , though. Perhaps some of these young star cluster s will go on to form globular clusters , while others will disperse through close gravitational encounters. The diagonal streak across the upper left is unrelated to the colliding galaxies. The color contrast in the above three-color mosaic was chosen to highlight extended features.
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