In our universe, conflicts are often violent. But it happened at a dangerous crossroads. Between a galaxy moving at 3.2 million km/h and a group of other galaxies. And astronomers were next in line.
The collision took place in Stephan’s Quintet, a group of galaxies located in the constellation Pegasus and discovered about 150 years ago. About 300 million light years from Earth. An extremely violent collision caused by a galaxy moving at an incredible speed of 3.2 million kilometers per hour. And a team of over 60 AstronomersAstronomersLed by researchers from the University of Hertfordshire (UK), were there to see it.
Thanks to the observation was possible. Large integral field unit (LIFU) New SpectroscopeSpectroscope wide field view (William HerschelWilliam Herschel Telescope Enhanced Area Velocity Explorer) was installed in La Palma (Spain) to analyze the structure of The starsThe stars one you GazGaz Both in the Milky Way and in millions of distant galaxies. It is also the first image obtained with the European instrument, which costs 20 million euros. An image with an unprecedented level of detail.
Dangerous Confluence of Stephan’s Quintet
If Stephan’s Quintet was chosen to be Viv’s first target, it’s because astronomers consider it a sort of galactic intersection. A junction “dangerous” which has already been the site of numerous interactions and conflicts. Leaving behind them, a field of rubble that is complicated to say the least. A perfect place to better understand the chaotic and often violent relationships between galaxies.
And the uncontrolled passage of Galaxy at this intersection suddenly woke up the traffic. NGCNGC 7318 b (a fifth galaxy). The shock was powerful. “Compared to the explosion of a fighter jet breaking the sound barrier.” This allowed astronomers to make some interesting discoveries.
Unprecedented observations thanks to a new tool
i Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical SocietyThe researchers describe how the wave allowed them to observe the bright trails of charged gas created by the massive collision shock as it passed through pockets of cold gas several times. Speed of soundSpeed of sound. On the other hand, there were signs of weakening of the shock in the hot gas. Can’t extract now. ElectronElectron To AtomAtom. only to compress the gas and thus produce radio wavesInterferometerInterferometer European Radio Low frequency array (loafers) and Huge array (VLA) were able to take over.
According to the researchers, these results are just a taste of what the wave should be able to reveal. High quality images ResolutionResolution What might happen in the formation and evolution of the faint, barely resolved galaxies we observe is within the limits of our current capabilities.
