Cornell Astronomers Discover Uniquely New Galaxy

Cornell Astronomers Discover Uniquely New Galaxy

Cornell astronomers detailed a newly-discovered galaxy with many unique traits, which make it a subject of further exploration, in a Feb. 17 paper. Published in The Astrophysics Journal Letters, the study found that the newly-uncovered galaxy likely has an efficient star formation rate, meaning that more stars are born per year relative to other galaxies. 

The galaxy, known as SPT0418-SE, was discovered in James Webb Space Telescope images of a well-known galaxy, SPT0418-47. The galaxies are close enough for SPT0418-SE’s  gravitational fields to disturb those of SPT0418-47, a characteristic of the system that appears to contradict earlier research. Such findings are relevant to scientists studying the beginnings of the universe and galaxy evolution.

“It’s like looking at a human,” said author Bo Peng, a doctoral student in astronomy.” Looking at the growth of an infant is much more interesting than a 30-year-old person.”

SPT0418-47 is well-documented due to its unique

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Astronomers Detect a Shockingly Lonely Galaxy That Ate All Its Neighbours

Astronomers Detect a Shockingly Lonely Galaxy That Ate All Its Neighbours

Astronomers Detect a Shockingly Lonely Galaxy That Ate All Its Neighbours

Composite X-ray, radio and optical image of the distant quasar galaxy 3C 297

(NASA/CXC/Univ. of Torino/V. Missaglia et al./ESA/STScI & International Gemini Observatory/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/NRAO/AUI/NSF)

Sitting about 9.2 billion light-years away from our planet is the great 3C 297 galaxy — containing a quasar or a supermassive black hole pulling in gas at its centre. Now, this distant galaxy has all the makings of being a part of a cluster that can accommodate hundreds or even thousands of galaxies. And yet, the 3C 297 stands by itself, with no companions to ease the loneliness plaguing space.

But before you begin to sympathise with the 3C 297, you must know that this galaxy’s isolation might very well be self-inflicted.

Not long ago, NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory and the International Gemini Observatory spotted this lonely galaxy. And once astronomers got a chance to study it, they found that it was mysteriously all alone –

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