File:The Merging Galaxy System Arp 220 From ALMA And Hubble.jpg
In the Hubble image, most of the light from this dramatic merging galaxy pair is hidden behind dark clouds of dust. ALMA's observations in Band 5 show a completely different view. Here, Arp 220's famous double nucleus, invisible for Hubble, is by far the brightest feature in the whole galaxy complex. In this dense, double centre, the bright emission from water and other molecules revealed by the new Band 5 receivers will give astronomers new insights into star formation and other processes in this extreme environment.
This image is one of the first taken using Band 5 and was intended to verify the scientific capability of the new receivers. The ALMA image includes data recording emission from water, CS and HCN in the galaxies.