These galaxies are in the process ofcolliding and merging with each other, as studies of their distributions ofneutral and molecularhydrogen show, with the higheststar-formation activity in the part where they overlap. However, the system is still in an early phase of interaction.[6] In about 500 million years the galaxies will coalesce into a single elliptical galaxy.[7]
The two galaxies were nicknamed "Siamese Twins" because they appear to be connected. On August 5, 2020, NASA announced that they would not use that nickname in an effort to avoidsystemic discrimination in their terminology.[14][15]
^Kaneko, H.; Kuno, N.; Iono, D.; Tosaki, T.; Sawada, T.; Nakanishi, H.; Hirota, A. (2010). "Molecular Gas in the Early Stage of Interacting Galaxies: The NGC 4567/8 Pair".Galaxy Wars: Stellar Populations and Star Formation in Interacting Galaxies.423: 26.Bibcode:2010ASPC..423...26K.