Galactic Wonders: Secrets of Stephan’s Quintet Collision

Published on: December 10, 2024in

Stephan’s Quintet Galactic Collision Gives way to wonders in Space What Happened in Stephan’s Quintet? A massive collision of galaxies occurred recently in a group called Stephan’s Quintet. Above all, this stunning event was triggered…

Stephan’s Quintet Galactic Collision Gives way to wonders in Space

What Happened in Stephan’s Quintet?

A massive collision of galaxies occurred recently in a group called Stephan’s Quintet. Above all, this stunning event was triggered by a galaxy moving at an incredible speed of over 2 million mph (3.2 million km/h). Astronomers used the new William Herschel Telescope Enhanced Area Velocity Explorer (WEAVE) to capture this phenomenon like never before.

Contents

A Sonic Boom in Space- Stephan’s Quintet

The collision created a powerful shock, similar to a sonic boom from a jet fighter. As the fast-moving galaxy, identified as NGC 7318b, hurtled through Stephan’s Quintet, it reawakened previous collisions’ debris. Moreover, this site gives scientists valuable insights into how galaxies interact and evolve over time.

How Did Scientists Make This Discovery?

A team of more than 60 astronomers collaborated to study this extraordinary event. They published their findings in the journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. According to lead researcher Dr. Marina Arnaudova, this event of Stephan’s Quintet offers an ideal laboratory to understand the chaotic nature of galactic interactions.

The Role of WEAVE in Stephan’s Quintet

As a state-of-the-art instrument, WEAVE allows astronomers to examine stars and gas composition within distant galaxies. Above all, it uses a spectroscope that reveals what stars are made of by generating colorful patterns from the light they emit. For more details on how WEAVE works and its significance, visit ENTECH Online’s science research page.

Going Into Data

The discovery regarding Stephan’s Quintet revealed that when shocks travel through regions with cold gas, they move at hypersonic speeds! In simpler terms, these shocks are powerful enough to rip electrons from atoms, creating glowing trails of charged gas visible to telescopes like WEAVE.

The Future: Unlocking Galactic Secrets

This discovery is just the beginning! Astronomers hope that ongoing research with WEAVE will help them unlock secrets about our own Milky Way Galaxy and many others across the Universe. As Dr. Daniel Smith stated, This first WEAVE science paper represents just a taste of what is to come.

References

M I Arnaudova, S Das, D J B Smith, M J Hardcastle, N Hatch, S C Trager, R J Smith, A B Drake, J C McGarry, S Shenoy, J P Stott, J H Knapen, K M Hess, K J Duncan, A Gloudemans, P N Best, R García-Benito, R Kondapally, M Balcells, G S Couto, D C Abrams, D Aguado, J A L Aguerri, R Barrena, C R Benn, T Bensby, S R Berlanas, D Bettoni, et all. WEAVE First Light Observations: Origin and Dynamics of the Shock Front in Stephan’s Quintet. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 2024; 535 (3): 2269 DOI: 10.1093/mnras/stae2235

Additionally, to stay updated with the latest developments in STEM research, visit ENTECH Online. Basically, this is our digital magazine for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Furthermore, at ENTECH Online, you’ll find a wealth of information.