Galaxies are environ by a spherical glory where diffuse hot natural gas , dark topic , and a few adept reside . The Hubble Space Telescope has now studied the ring of Andromeda , the closest galaxy to the Milky Way of a like size . If you think the Andromeda Galax urceolata is big , its halo will blow you away .
The gloriole stretches over 1 million light - year from the galaxy , which in itself is 220,000 light - twelvemonth across . The study , published inThe Astrophysical Journal , highlight how the halo is not a simple structure but actually complex due to the interior processes of the coltsfoot .
“ We find the inside casing that extends to about a half million light - years is far more complex and dynamic , ” study loss leader Nicolas Lehner , from the University of Notre Dame , aver in astatement . “ The outer eggshell is placid and hot . This divergence is a likely result from the impact of supernova activity in the extragalactic nebula ’s magnetic disc more directly affecting the inner glory . ”
The squad detected the presence of hard elements in the gaseous halo . This is a clean-cut house of where the material came from . Heavy elements are produced in adept and distributed across outer space when stars reach the end of thier lives , especially when they go supernova .
These incredible reflection were possible thanks to Project AMIGA ( Absorption Map of Ionized Gas in Andromeda ) , which remark 46 quasi-stellar radio source ( passing bright galaxies ) in the line of sight of where the halo was have a bun in the oven to be . These were used as “ backlights ” to illuminate the diffuse halo so that it could be take by Hubble .
“ antecedently , there was very little selective information – only six quasars – within 1 million low-cal - years of the galaxy . This new political platform provides much more information on this inner neighborhood of Andromeda ’s nimbus , ” explained co - investigator J. Christopher Howk , also of Notre Dame . “ probe gas within this spoke is significant , as it defend something of a gravitative domain of influence for Andromeda . ”
We do not have instrument to conduct these form of study of other major galax , so AMIGA suffice as a procurator for what might go on around other spiral galaxies in the cosmos .
“ understand the huge halos of gasolene surrounding galaxies is vastly significant , ” explained co - investigator Samantha Berek of Yale University . “ This reservoir of flatulence hold in fuel for future star formation within the galaxy , as well as outflow from result such as supernovae . It ’s full of clues regarding the past and future phylogenesis of the galaxy , and we ’re finally capable to study it in great detail in our snug astronomic neighbor . ”
