Mock crash of galaxies - understanding Space in 3D

Image Credit: NASA, ESA, the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA)-
ESA/Hubble Collaboration, and W. Keel (University of Alabama)

The rare Hubble Space Telescope image is very helpful in understanding the reality of the three-dimensional world seen in astrophotography

Telescope images have nothing to suggest visual perspective to our brain so everything appears to be on the same plane. This was the perception of the night sky that was common to all humanity looking at stars without the aid of optical instruments invented in late 16th century.

It took some serious research and development of mathematical techniques even to begin to understand the astronomic distances to the nearest stars.

____
For a view how a real collision of galaxies looks check this jewel like APOD image of a galaxy collision in NGC 6745.