A fascinating image of three galaxies colliding with each other in the farthest regions of outer space has been released by NASA.
Captured by the Hubble Space Telescope, the remarkable snapshot shows in clearer detail than ever how the galaxies, which are 684 light-years away from Earth, are in the process of merging with each other, as well as the impact this incredible collision is having on the surrounding space.
Known officially as merger event IC 2431, the collision of the three galaxies has intrigued astronomers for decades, with the event first recorded more than a century ago on February 24 1896.
On February 23, 1945 the city of Jülich in Germany on the other side of the river Roer was captured by the Americans. Two days later, further south, Düren was followed. Both cities are completely in ruins after five months of air raids and shelling. Now that the Americans have crossed the Roer, they seem to have made a definitive breach in the German lines on the western front. The West Wall (or Siegfried Line, as the Allies call it) no longer plays a role. The road to the densely populated industrial area on the Rhine is open.
US soldiers of the 8th Infantry Division await orders to clear out a building in Duren in Germany, on February 24, 1945.
