Tuesday, November 19, 2013

A Cosmic Intruder Grabbed Hot Gas From This Galaxy Group

A Cosmic Intruder Grabbed Hot Gas From This Galaxy Group:
NGC 5044 as seen in a composite image from the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, the Digitized Sky Survey (optical), Galex (near-ultraviolet) and new X-ray observations from XMM-Newton (in blue.) Astronomers say they are able to see hot gas moving in this galaxy because of an interaction with another galaxy millions of years ago. Credit: E. O’Sullivan & ESA
A Cosmic Intruder Grabbed Hot Gas From This Galaxy Group
NGC 5044 as seen in a composite image from the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, the Digitized Sky Survey (optical), Galex (near-ultraviolet) and new X-ray observations from XMM-Newton (in blue.) Astronomers say they are able to see hot gas moving in this galaxy because of an interaction with another galaxy millions of years ago. Credit: E. O’Sullivan & ESA
So galaxy group NGC 5044 was just sitting quietly by itself a few million years ago when galaxy NGC 5054 decided to pass right through it. That close encounter finished long ago, but the ricochet is still visible in telescopes as astronomers spotted hot gas rippling through the host galaxy.
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Read the rest of A Cosmic Intruder Grabbed Hot Gas From This Galaxy Group (165 words)

© Elizabeth Howell for Universe Today, 2013. |Permalink |No comment |
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