A galaxy is a massive cluster of stars that tend to clump together due to the gravitational attraction they exert on each other. As far as the Earth and the solar system are concerned, we are located near the Milky Way, a spiral galaxy that is common in the known universe. Since we are located in the far arm of the Milky Way, millions of light-years from the nucleus, life on Earth as we know it is possible. At the centers of galaxies, the stars are so concentrated that the gravitational pull they exert on each other makes the pressure so great that existence as we know it is impossible. However, there are other strangest and most curious galaxies.
In this article we are going to tell you about the strangest and most fascinating galaxies in the universe and their characteristics.
The strangest galaxies in the Universe
NGC 474
NGC 474 is a galaxy located in the constellation Piscis Austrinus, at a distance of approximately 98 million light years from Earth. It is an elliptical galaxy, which means that its shape is predominantly spheroidal or ellipsoidal rather than having a disk structure like spiral galaxies. The ellipticity of NGC 474 indicates that its stellar content is evenly distributed in all directions, without a pronounced arm or disk structure.
In terms of size, NGC 474 has an estimated diameter of around 120,000 light-years. In addition to its elliptical shape, the galaxy also exhibits interesting features in its central region. Detailed observations have revealed the presence of a phenomenon known as "radio ejection" in its core. This suggests that NGC 474 may have experienced supermassive black hole activity in the past, emitting material at high speeds in the form of jets of particles and energy.
In terms of its stellar population, NGC 474 hosts a diverse mix of stars of different ages and chemical compositions. Elliptical galaxies tend to have an older stellar population, because star formation has slowed down compared to more active spiral galaxies. However, it is also possible to find young stellar clusters in the outer regions of the galaxy.
NGC 474 is part of a group of galaxies called the NGC 470 Group, which consists of several nearby galaxies that gravitationally interact with each other. This interaction may have played a role in the current conformation of NGC 474 and its observable features.
IT 415-19
ESO 415-19 is about 450 million light-years from Earth, and while it has many similarities to other planets, it has some elements that are different from other galaxies, such as the Milky Way. ESO 415-19 is part of the "special spiral galaxy" because, although it resembles the other galaxies at its center, has long streams of stars extending from its galactic core, like arms in a strangely elongated spiral.
According to the European Space Agency (ESA), those "tidal inflows", which are seen as galactic remnants or contrails, are caused by some accidental interaction in the galaxy's past, giving ESO 415-19 its peculiar appearance.
This property makes this galaxy an important target for Hubble, as its observations are part of an ongoing campaign to explore some of the "weirdest and most wonderful" galaxies in the universe, as part of the Apu Atlas mission. strange galaxy. With the help of this program, we can find pairs, triplets and even quintets of interacting galaxies from strangely isolated galaxies.
In particular, this part of the night sky is located in the constellation Fornax, which is the site of Hubble's ultra-deep field observations. It took nearly a million seconds of the telescope's time to capture the region, which captured nearly 10,000 galaxies of varying ages, sizes, shapes, and colors.
galaxy hat
The Sombrero Galaxy, also known as M104 or NGC 4594, is a spiral galaxy located about 28 million light-years away in the constellation Virgo. It is one of the most remarkable and studied galaxies due to its particular characteristics.
Its name comes from its shape, which is reminiscent of a wide-brimmed Mexican hat. This unique shape is due to the combination of a bright central bulb and an outer spiral structure containing prominent spiral arms. The galaxy has a mix of young and old stars in its spiral arms, giving it its distinctive and striking appearance.
It has a large supermassive black hole at its center.. This black hole has an estimated mass of several billion times the mass of our Sun and plays a crucial role in the dynamics of the galaxy. The gravitational influence of this black hole is responsible for shaping the distribution of stars and gas at the center of the galaxy.
In terms of gas and dust content, the Sombrero Galaxy exhibits a significant amount of both. This is fundamental to the star formation process in the galaxy. The gases and dust act as raw material for the creation of new stars as they collapse under their own gravity into dense areas known as star-forming regions. The presence of these star-forming regions in the Sombrero galaxy is an important feature in its evolution.
Porpoise Galaxy
The Porpoise Galaxy it is considered a spiral galaxy due to its characteristic disk-shaped structure with curved arms. In its spiral arms, prolific star-making activity is observed, contributing to the galaxy's remarkable luminosity at various wavelengths of the electromagnetic spectrum, from visible light to radio waves and X-rays.
It features a dense central region known as the galactic core. In this region, a supermassive black hole is believed to exist, the mass of which is significantly greater than that of stellar black holes. The interaction between this black hole and the surrounding matter has profound implications for the dynamics and evolution of the galaxy as a whole.
I hope that with this information you can learn more about the strangest and most fascinating galaxies in the universe.