Scientists accidentally find a dark galaxy in the early formation stage | News Today |

The discovery was made as part of a survey of low surface brightness (LSB) hydrogen galaxies in which 350 such galaxies were studied using several major radio telescopes around the world.

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A group of scientists from the Green Bank Observatory in the United States has accidentally discovered what would be a primordial dark galaxy, that is, in an initial phase of formation. One of the most striking features of this astronomical object is that it has no apparent stars, which makes it different from other finds of this type in the universe.

This discovery, announced at a meeting of the American Astronomical Society, occurred during a survey of low surface brightness (LSB) hydrogen galaxies in which 350 such galaxies were studied using several major radio telescopes around the world, such as the The National Science Foundation’s Green Bank Telescope, the Arecibo Telescope, and the Nançay Radio Telescope.

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“The goal was to determine the gas and dynamic masses of these ultradiffuse galaxies. To do this, we observe them from several instruments, and many of them more than once,” said Karen O’Neil, senior scientist at the Green Bank Observatory.

However, during the observations, the team of astronomers encountered an inconsistency in the equipment’s reading. Upon examination, it was discovered that these were pointing to the wrong coordinates, but there they found the galaxy to be made of gas, with no visible stars and which had not been officially recorded. This was officially designated J0613+52.

“We’re wondering what the hell this thing is,” Karen O’Neil said at the news conference. “After analyzing the data, we believe this is a low-surface, potentially dark galaxy. “Beyond that, it is remarkably isolated, poorly disturbed, and has a normal mass for a spiral galaxy.”

Due to these characteristics, the scientific team indicates that it is a primordial galaxy, that is, it has not yet evolved to the point of having a group of stars. This would be due to several factors, such as the fact that the gas is still too widespread to begin star formation, and also because it is so isolated from other astronomical objects, which would keep it in its state.

“What we may have here is the discovery of a galaxy so dispersed that stars could not form within it, but also so isolated that other objects did not intervene to form them,” explains O’Neil.

The study of LSB galaxies, due to their diffuse nature, often challenges existing theories of star and galaxy formation and provides a better understanding of their properties by shedding light on the formation and evolution of all stars and galaxies, including the Milky Way. . .

In the J0613+52 case, there are many more questions than answers. The low surface density of the galaxy’s gas makes it very difficult, or even impossible, to observe it at other wavelengths. As O’Neil noted in the statement: “An all-sky survey with an extremely sensitive instrument like the Green Bank Telescope could uncover more of these objects.”

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Watch the full conference here:

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2024-01-13 21:04:00
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