Tag: Galaxies

Astronomers have discovered that large flows of cold gas created by collisions between galaxies in the early universe may have forged some of the most monstrous star systems. The formation of ancient gigantic galaxies that bulge like footballs compared to our relatively flat spiral galaxy, the Milky Way, has confused astronomers for decades. Now, a team led by scientists from the University of Southampton may have scored a touchdown in this quest. They believe their research may finally solve this long-standing galactic puzzle. “Two disk galaxies smashing together caused gas…

A celestial light show illuminates a distant spiral galaxy, where a hidden supernova briefly outshines its stellar neighbors in a new image from the Hubble Space Telescope. The galaxy, called NGC 1672, is a barred spiral galaxy located 49 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Dorado. Billions of stars fueled by hydrogen gas in the swirling arms glow brightly across the galaxy, with newly formed and extremely hot stars emitting powerful radiation that creates a vibrant red light, according to a statement from the European Space Agency (ESA). (Hubble…

The Milky Way’s system of small, orbiting satellite galaxies is quite unusual, a new 12-year study of other galaxies in the local universe has found.  The Satellites Around Galactic Analogs (SAGA) survey is being conducted by a small group of astronomers to learn how the Milky Way and its little retinue of dwarf satellite galaxies compares to other galaxy systems. “The Milky Way’s satellite population is a unique combination of small satellites containing only older stars, and its two largest satellites, which are actively forming new stars,” says Marla Geha,…