HEIC: Galactic David and Goliath

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bystander
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HEIC: Galactic David and Goliath

Post by bystander » Thu Jul 27, 2017 3:38 pm

Galactic David and Goliath
ESA Hubble Photo Release | 2017 Jul 27
[img3="NGC 1512 and NGC 1510 - Credit: ESA/Hubble, NASA"]https://cdn.spacetelescope.org/archives ... c1712a.jpg[/img3][hr][/hr]
The gravitational dance between two galaxies in our local neighbourhood has led to intriguing visual features in both as witnessed in this new NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image. The tiny NGC 1510 and its colossal neighbour NGC 1512 are at the beginning of a lengthy merger, a crucial process in galaxy evolution. Despite its diminutive size, NGC 1510 has had a significant effect on NGC 1512’s structure and amount of star formation.

Galaxies come in a range of shapes and sizes, and astronomers use this fact to classify them based on their appearance. NGC 1512, the large galaxy to the left in this image, is classified as a barred spiral, named after the bar composed of stars, gas and dust slicing through its centre. The tiny NGC 1510 to the right, on the other hand, is a dwarf galaxy. Despite their very different sizes, each galaxy affects the other through gravity, causing slow changes in their appearances.

The bar in NGC 1512 acts as a cosmic funnel, channelling the raw materials required for star formation from the outer ring into the heart of the galaxy. This pipeline of gas and dust in NGC 1512 fuels intense star birth in the bright, blue, shimmering inner disc known as a circumnuclear starburst ring, which spans 2400 light-years.

Both the bar and the starburst ring are thought to be at least in part the result of the cosmic scuffle between the two galaxies — a merger that has been going on for 400 million years. ...
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neufer
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Re: HEIC: Galactic David and Goliath

Post by neufer » Fri Jul 28, 2017 4:33 pm

bystander wrote:Galactic David and Goliath
ESA Hubble Photo Release | 2017 Jul 27
[img3="NGC 1512 and NGC 1510 - Credit: ESA/Hubble, NASA"]https://cdn.spacetelescope.org/archives ... c1712a.jpg[/img3][hr][/hr]
NGC 1512, the large galaxy to the left in this image, is classified as a barred spiral, named after the bar composed of stars, gas and dust slicing through its centre. The tiny NGC 1510 to the right, on the other hand, is a dwarf galaxy. Despite their very different sizes, each galaxy affects the other through gravity, causing slow changes in their appearances. The bar in NGC 1512 acts as a cosmic funnel, channelling the raw materials required for star formation from the outer ring into the heart of the galaxy. This pipeline of gas and dust in NGC 1512 fuels intense star birth in the bright, blue, shimmering inner disc known as a circumnuclear starburst ring, which spans 2400 light-years.
    • The Merry Wives of Windsor Act 5, Scene 1

    FALSTAFF: I fear not Goliath with a weaver's beam;
Art Neuendorffer

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neufer
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Re: HEIC: Galactic David and Goliath

Post by neufer » Sat Jul 29, 2017 1:45 am

http://astrobob.areavoices.com/2017/07/27/david-vs-goliath-galactic-struggle-leads-to-transformation/ wrote: David Vs. Goliath — Galactic Struggle Leads To Transformation
Astrobob, July 2017

<<NGC 1512 is a barred spiral galaxy about 70,000 light-years across, located some 30 million light-years away from Earth in the southern constellation of Horologium.

Deep photos show that the barred galaxy extends way beyond the outer ring with lots of malformed, tendril-like arms wrapping around the dwarf companion. Their crazy, warped appearance is thought to be caused by strong gravitational interactions with NGC 1510. As you’ve probably already guessed, the little guy’s also getting beat up in the process.

The constant tidal tugging from its neighbor has swirled up the gas and dust in NGC 1510 and kick-started star formation that is even more intense than in NGC 1512. This causes the galaxy to glow with the blue hue of hot new stars.>>
Art Neuendorffer

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Ann
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Re: HEIC: Galactic David and Goliath

Post by Ann » Sat Jul 29, 2017 6:10 am

neufer wrote:
http://astrobob.areavoices.com/2017/07/27/david-vs-goliath-galactic-struggle-leads-to-transformation/ wrote: David Vs. Goliath — Galactic Struggle Leads To Transformation
Astrobob, July 2017

<<NGC 1512 is a barred spiral galaxy about 70,000 light-years across, located some 30 million light-years away from Earth in the southern constellation of Horologium.

Deep photos show that the barred galaxy extends way beyond the outer ring with lots of malformed, tendril-like arms wrapping around the dwarf companion. Their crazy, warped appearance is thought to be caused by strong gravitational interactions with NGC 1510. As you’ve probably already guessed, the little guy’s also getting beat up in the process.

The constant tidal tugging from its neighbor has swirled up the gas and dust in NGC 1510 and kick-started star formation that is even more intense than in NGC 1512. This causes the galaxy to glow with the blue hue of hot new stars.>>
Mira with 13 light-year long UV tail.
Photo: GALEX.
The picture you posted is a GALEX ultraviolet photo of NGC 1512 and 1510. I so miss GALEX! Not only did it reveal which galaxies had fascinating outer spiral arms and which didn't, but it also showed which galaxies had any notable populations of hot blue stars in them and which didn't.

And GALEX revealed many other things, too. Just look at that stunning image of asymptotic giant branch star Mira and its 13 light-year long tail, composed of material being shed by the dying star and made to glow in ultraviolet due to the star's fast clip through the interstellar medium.

GALEX has been defunct since 2012, and no ultraviolet-sensitive probes are in the works to replace it! These days all efforts for the future are centered on infrared wavelengths! :cry:

Ann
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