An uncommon elliptical galaxy with a historical past of absorbing smaller galaxies seems to be approaching its subsequent goal.
New photos from the Very Large Telescope (VLT) on the European Southern Observatory’s (ESO) Paranal Observatory recommend that the galaxy, often called NGC 3640, could quickly merge with a smaller galactic companion. Situated 88 million light-years from Earth, NGC 3640 belongs to a gaggle of galaxies that vary in form and dimension, together with its personal uncommon oval or egg form.
The VLT images revealed that NGC 3640 has eaten different galaxies over the previous a number of billion years and a smaller neighbor, often called NGC 3641, now lies inside its path. Situated just under NGC 3640 within the latest picture, NGC 3641 could ultimately be the bigger galaxy’s subsequent meal.
“All through their extraordinarily lengthy lifetime, galaxies change. As they soar by house, they might steal gasoline and stars from different galaxies, and even engulf and merge with them,” ESO officers stated in a statement accompanying the brand new picture. “After these occasions, galaxies can turn out to be distorted, as exemplified by the misshaped NGC 3640 and the diffuse gentle round it.”
As two galaxies strategy one another, their gravitational pulls turn out to be more and more sturdy, inflicting them to ultimately collide and merge right into a single, bigger galaxy. This, in flip, disrupts the unique constructions of each galaxies.
Fortunately, NGC 3641 should have a while earlier than it’s consumed by its bigger neighbor. The latest VLT photos don’t present any indicators of NGC 3641 being distorted by the approaching galaxy, suggesting NGC 3640 will not be but shut sufficient to pose a risk.
Utilizing the brand new VLT photos, astronomers on the Italian Nationwide Institute for Astrophysics have been capable of parse out NGC 3640’s previous. A collision between two galaxies leaves “scars” on the surviving cosmic physique, which usually comprises a number of the first stars created inside the authentic galaxy.
Subsequently, these stars function “fossil markers” of the unique galaxy’s previous, which is how the staff decided NGC 3640 has beforehand engulfed different galaxies, in keeping with the assertion.
Their findings have been published Nov. 5, 2024 within the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics.
