This image capture 3 galaxy objects located in the constellation of Ursa Major at a declination of +53 degrees - NGC 3718/Arp 214 (center), NGC 3729 (upper left), and Arp 322/Hickson 56 galaxy group (bottom). Each of these 3 objects is amazing, consisting of galaxies distorted by gravitational interaction.  Both of the larger galaxies are about 50 million light years away and are believed to be interacting with each other.

The larger galaxy, NGC 3718, is a polar ring galaxy that is 140,000 light years long.  The entire plane of NGC3718 has been twisted, resulting in a beautiful dark dust lane wrapping around its yellowish central core.  It is interesting to capture this galaxy with another polar ring galaxy, NGC 660.  The galaxies look similar, although our view of this galaxy is primarily face-on while NGC 660 is primarily edge-on.  Polar ring galaxies are believed to be the result of a galaxy merger, which the host galaxy accretes stars, dust and gas from a nearby companion galaxy.  Sometimes these companions are still present, but typically they are not and have been absorbed.  I believe that is the case here, and that nearby NGC 3729 is a companion but not the one that has fed the polar ring of NGC 3718.

NGC 3729 is a cornucopia of color, with yellows, browns, blues and purples.  This small galaxy is only 40,000 light years in diameter.  The galaxy appears to have a barred core, connected to a ring which extends around the core but is disrupted at the upper right side. Star formation has been initiated in this ring, with many bright blue star clusters visible. 

The Hickson 56 / Arp 322 galaxy group is a background group of 5 galaxies much further away, at about 400 million light years from us .  The right 4 galaxies each appear disturbed and are apparently interacting with each other.  The largest galaxy, the edge-on spiral, is a Milky Way like 120,000 light years in diameter.