Clash of the Titans: Two galaxies engage in thrilling war as Earth looks on
This image, taken with the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), shows the molecular gas content of two galaxies involved in a cosmic collision. (Photo: ESO) Two galaxies repeatedly charge at each other at speeds of 500 kmps
They are colliding and recoiling in a spectacular dance
The light from this epic galactic battle has taken over 11 billion years
Astronomers have, for the first time, witnessed a violent cosmic collision where one galaxy pierces another with intense radiation powered by black hole, dramatically altering the fate of its celestial victim.
The findings, published today in the journal Nature, reveal how this radiation suppresses the wounded galaxy's ability to form new stars, offering unprecedented insight into the destructive power of galactic encounters.
The research team dubbed the phenomenon the 'cosmic joust.'
In this distant system, two galaxies repeatedly charge at each other at speeds of 500 kilometers per second, colliding and recoiling in a spectacular dance.
But unlike a fair medieval contest, one galaxy wields a devastating advantageâ€'a quasar, the blazing core powered by a supermassive black hole, unleashing a spear of radiation that penetrates its rival.
Quasars, among the brightest objects in the universe, were more common in its early years.
The light from this epic galactic battle has taken over 11 billion years to reach Earth, allowing astronomers a glimpse into an era when the universe was just 18% of its current age.
Using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) and the X-shooter instrument on the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope (ESO's VLT), both in Chile, researchers distinguished the two galaxies and analyzed the quasar's impact.
The radiation disrupts the gas and dust clouds in the regular galaxy, leaving behind only tiny, dense pocketsâ€'too small to birth new stars. This marks the first direct observation of a quasar's radiation transforming the internal structure of another galaxy.
The encounter is not just one-sided. As the galaxies merge, vast amounts of gas are funneled toward the supermassive black hole, fueling the quasar and perpetuating the cycle of cosmic violence.
Future observations with even more powerful telescopes, such as ESO's upcoming Extremely Large Telescope, promise to deepen our understanding of how such galactic clashes shape the evolution of galaxies and their brilliant, destructive quasars.
Astronomers have, for the first time, witnessed a violent cosmic collision where one galaxy pierces another with intense radiation powered by black hole, dramatically altering the fate of its celestial victim.
The findings, published today in the journal Nature, reveal how this radiation suppresses the wounded galaxy's ability to form new stars, offering unprecedented insight into the destructive power of galactic encounters.
The research team dubbed the phenomenon the 'cosmic joust.'
In this distant system, two galaxies repeatedly charge at each other at speeds of 500 kilometers per second, colliding and recoiling in a spectacular dance.
But unlike a fair medieval contest, one galaxy wields a devastating advantageâ€'a quasar, the blazing core powered by a supermassive black hole, unleashing a spear of radiation that penetrates its rival.
Quasars, among the brightest objects in the universe, were more common in its early years.
The light from this epic galactic battle has taken over 11 billion years to reach Earth, allowing astronomers a glimpse into an era when the universe was just 18% of its current age.
Using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) and the X-shooter instrument on the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope (ESO's VLT), both in Chile, researchers distinguished the two galaxies and analyzed the quasar's impact.
The radiation disrupts the gas and dust clouds in the regular galaxy, leaving behind only tiny, dense pocketsâ€'too small to birth new stars. This marks the first direct observation of a quasar's radiation transforming the internal structure of another galaxy.
The encounter is not just one-sided. As the galaxies merge, vast amounts of gas are funneled toward the supermassive black hole, fueling the quasar and perpetuating the cycle of cosmic violence.
Future observations with even more powerful telescopes, such as ESO's upcoming Extremely Large Telescope, promise to deepen our understanding of how such galactic clashes shape the evolution of galaxies and their brilliant, destructive quasars. Join our WhatsApp Channel
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