A new composite of X-rays (purple) from Chandra and optical data (blue and white) shows the scene of the collision.
A new study reveals that a giant cloud of superheated gas, which
is about 6 million degrees, is likely the result of a collision between a
dwarf galaxy and a much larger galaxy called NGC 1232.
Observations with NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory have revealed a
massive cloud of multimillion-degree gas in a galaxy about 60 million
light years from Earth. The hot gas cloud is likely caused by a
collision between a dwarf galaxy and a much larger galaxy called NGC
1232. If confirmed, this discovery would mark the first time such a
collision has been detected only in X-rays, and could have implications
for understanding how galaxies grow through similar collisions.
An image combining X-rays and optical light shows the scene of this
collision. The impact between the dwarf galaxy and the spiral galaxy
caused a shock wave – akin to a sonic boom on Earth – that generated hot
gas with a temperature of about 6 million degrees. Chandra X-ray data,
in purple, show the hot gas has a comet-like appearance, caused by the
motion of the dwarf galaxy. Optical data from the European Southern
Observatory’s Very Large Telescope reveal the spiral galaxy in blue and
white. X-ray point sources have been removed from this image to
emphasize the diffuse emission.
Near the head of the comet-shaped X-ray emission (mouse over the
image for the location) is a region containing several very optically
bright stars and enhanced X-ray emission. Star formation may have been
triggered by the shock wave, producing bright, massive stars. In that
case X-ray emission would be generated by massive star winds and by the
remains of supernova explosions as massive stars evolve.
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