Magnetic fields in Messier 82, or the Cigar galaxy, are shown as lines over a visible light and … [+]
NASA, SOFIA, L. Proudfit; NASA, ESA, Hubble Heritage Team; NASA, JPL-Caltech, C. Engelbracht
In theory, cold, neutral gas is the key to stars and galaxies.
A visualization of gas falling into a young galaxy shows what it might appear to look like, if the … [+]
R. Crain (LJMU) and J. Geach (U. Herts)
When gas clouds gravitationally collapse, new stars can form.
A cloud of gas collapses, forming new stars, while radiation works to evaporate it. The evaporative … [+]
ESA/Hubble & NASA, R. Sahai
One the gas is completely gone, however, star formation ceases.
A map of neutral hydrogen (in red) overlaid on this galaxy in the Coma Cluster shows how much gas is … [+]
NASA, ESA, and W. Cramer and J. Kenney (Yale University)
Paradoxically, the largest starbursts can ruin a galaxy’s future star-forming potential.
Combined observations from Chandra (purple), the Very Large Array (yellow) along with Hubble (red, … [+]
X-ray (NASA/CXC/Virginia/A.Reines et al); Radio (NRAO/AUI/NSF); Optical (NASA/STScI)
Starburst galaxies are rare, occurring when the entire galaxy becomes a star-forming region.
The Cigar Galaxy, M82, and its supergalactic winds (in red) that showcase the rapid new star … [+]
NASA, ESA, The Hubble Heritage Team, (STScI / AURA); Acknowledgement: M. Mountain (STScI), P. Puxley (NSF), J. Gallagher (U. Wisconsin)
The closest one is the Cigar Galaxy (Messier 82), merely 12 million light-years away.
Located just outside the Big Dipper, the objects M81 and M82 have often been used as an analogy for … [+]
Markus Schopfer / c.c.-by-2.5
Its larger neighbor’s gravitational influence is triggering this starburst.
NASA’s SOFIA telescope, which flies on board a modified Boeing 747, is uniquely suited to making … [+]
Echo Romeo / Physics Central / American Physical Society
In 2019, NASA’s Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) studied the Cigar Galaxy’s gas with unprecedented sensitivities.
NASA’s Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy, SOFIA, has an enormous advantage over space … [+]
NASA
SOFIA observes at 41,000+ feet, avoiding 99% of atmospheric water vapor: infrared astronomy’s biggest nemesis.
The transmittance or opacity of the electromagnetic spectrum through the atmosphere. Note all the … [+]
NASA
Researchers discovered its enormous galactic wind is aligned along internal magnetic field lines.
This composite image shows the magnetic field detected by SOFIA (streamlines), where the outflows of … [+]
NASA/SOFIA/E. Lopez-Rodriguez; NASA/Spitzer/J. Moustakas et al.
Enormous quantities of gas and dust — upwards of 50,000,000 Suns — is being transported into intergalactic space, dragging the field with it.
This infrared image from NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope shows the Cigar Galaxy in two different … [+]
NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona
This episode of copious star formation may deplete the Cigar Galaxy entirely.
Post-merger, large spirals will result in the formation of a single, giant elliptical galaxy. Over … [+]
NASA, ESA, and The Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA)
Novel science continues, even during this pandemic, with international cooperation.
In February and March of 2021, NASA’s SOFIA will conduct science flights over Germany for the first … [+]
Alexander Golz
New SOFIA observations are being conducted over Germany, investigating ionized carbon: a key tracer of star formation.
The unusual hot massive young star WR 22 is silhouetted against a portion of the Carina nebula here, … [+]
ESO
Combined observations of star birth, winds, and matter transport will reveal key relationships underlying galaxy evolution.
An enormous star-forming region in the dwarf galaxy UGCA 281, as imaged by Hubble in the visible and … [+]
NASA, ESA and the LEGUS team
Mostly Mute Monday tells an astronomical story in images, visuals, and no more than 200 words. Talk less; smile more.
This article is auto-generated by Algorithm Source: www.forbes.com
