ARP 276, California

**Arp 276** is an interacting pair of galaxies consisting of **NGC 3226** and **NGC 3227**, located in the constellation Leo at a distance of roughly **70–75 million light-years**. NGC 3227 is a distorted barred spiral galaxy, while NGC 3226 is a smaller elliptical companion, and their close gravitational encounter has produced pronounced tidal tails, warped structure, and streams of stars and gas connecting the two systems. These interactions have funneled material toward the galactic centers, fueling enhanced star formation and active galactic nucleus activity, particularly in NGC 3227. As part of Halton Arp’s *Atlas of Peculiar Galaxies*, Arp 276 provides a vivid nearby example of how galaxy interactions can dramatically reshape structure and drive long-term galactic evolution.