Arp 261 lies about 80 million light-years distant in the constellation of Libra, the Scales.
Its chaotic and very unusual structure is created by the interaction of two galaxies that are engaged in a highly disruptive close encounter.
Both interacting galaxies were probably dwarfs not unlike the Magellanic Clouds orbiting our own galaxy.
Its overall brightness is mag 13,4 and it extends to 3 by 2 arc-min in size. The galaxy in the top-middle is mag 15,2 PGC 52943 in approx. 71 million light-years.
See an image from the ESO-VLT: here.
Image data:
LRGB (540-140-140-120 min) total 15,7 h, north is up, seeing 0.8-1.2 arc-sec,
80cm f/7 Astrooptik Keller cassegrain, FLI PL-16803, Astrodon gen2 filters, Prompt 7 CTIO Chile
Processing: Johannes Schedler
Find here a wider image in 40/100% size end a center crop on the galaxy pair in 120% size below.