Likewise in the image is another striking phenomenon: a deformation of galaxies under the effect of dark matter. We dont know what dark matter is but it comprises 85% of the mass in the recognized universe, and it seems especially concentrated around clusters of galaxies.
The shells are the result of a previous crash with another galaxy (or numerous). If you take a bowl of batter and stir it quickly (much like a galaxy is spinning) and then you add a drop of food coloring into it, it will not right away disappear in the batter.
Gravitational lensing
No doubt, images like this one arent simply a quite sight– theyre crucial tools that can help astronomers understand the most complex and important phenomena that shape our universe.
An additional subbranch of elliptical galaxies is shell galaxies, or “onion” galaxies. Theyre called this because they have concentric shells, similar to an onion. Its exactly this type of galaxy that astronomers have actually now imaged.
Its a spiral galaxy, which is the most typical type of galaxy out there. There are other, way funkier types of galaxies out there.
If you look carefully at it, youll find thousands of galaxies and stars in the background, including a larger gravitational lens at the top of the image.
What makes NGC 3923 much more fascinating is that its shells are strikingly in proportion. You need very specific conditions for this to happen and it produces an exceptional sight. The shells are also more subtle than those of other onion galaxies, though its unclear why this is.
The symmetrical, onion-like layers of shell galaxy NGC 3923 are showcased in this galaxy-rich image. A nearby, huge galaxy cluster is also recorded displaying the phenomenon referred to as gravitational lensing. Image credits: NOIRLab.
The galaxy is called NGC 3923 and it lies a tremendous 70 million light years away from us. Its around 150,000 light-years throughout, which makes it some 50% larger than our galaxy. Unlike our galaxy, its got a number of concentric shells. Previous research study concluded that it might have as lots of as 42 distinct shells in its structure.
This is practically whats occurring with the galaxy– other than rather of a coloring drop, were discussing whole stars and solar systems that are spun around thusly.
An incredibly big gravitational lens around galaxy cluster PLCK G287.0 +32.9. Image credits: DESI Legacy Imaging Surveys/LBNL/DOE & & KPNO/CTIO/NOIRLab/ NSF/AURA.
Elliptical galaxies are typically the biggest. Theyre so big theyre thought to usually form through the accident and merger of other galaxies or their own spiral arms.
The image of this galaxy was created with the National Science Foundations Victor M. Branco telescope on the Inter-American Observatory in Chile. However the NGC 3923 galaxy isnt the only remarkable thing in this image..
The theory states that a huge object with a large sufficient gravitational pull can distort space-time around it, deforming it. Basically, large items and structures like galaxy clusters enable the much better visualization of other objects in their path– they sort of act as a lens.
An onion galaxy.
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The shells are likewise more subtle than those of other onion galaxies, though its not clear why this is.
The symmetrical, onion-like layers of shell galaxy NGC 3923 are showcased in this galaxy-rich image. Its a spiral galaxy, which is the most typical type of galaxy out there. A further subbranch of elliptical galaxies is shell galaxies, or “onion” galaxies. Its precisely this type of galaxy that astronomers have actually now imaged.
