“Hobbit galaxies” are even smaller than dwarf galaxies, containing only a few hundred thousand stars. Leo T is the only known hobbit galaxy, with a luminosity equal to 50,000 Suns and a diameter of 600 light-years. It contains young stars and is embedded within a large mass of dark matter. The existence of more dwarf […]
Galaxies are clusters of astronomical objects, with three primary forms: spiral, elliptical, and irregular. Spiral galaxies have a central hub with spiral arms, while elliptical galaxies lack arms and irregular galaxies have no structure. Most galaxies occur in superclusters with voids in between, and dark matter is responsible for their gravitational pull. A galaxy is […]
Astronomers at Ohio State University have discovered KELT-9b, a planet three times the size of Jupiter and the hottest exoplanet ever identified. Its proximity to its star means temperatures reach over 7,800°F, causing life-sustaining molecules to be unable to exist. The planet also receives violent radiation, which could cause it to evaporate completely. Ohio State […]
The Canis Majoris Dwarf Galaxy is the closest galaxy to us, located 25,000 light-years away from the Solar System and 42,000 light-years from the Milky Way’s core. It was discovered in 2003 and is being torn apart by the Milky Way’s gravitational pull, with its stars eventually becoming part of the primary mass. The Canis […]
Dark galaxies are clusters of dark matter that cannot be observed visually, but can be detected through their gravitational pull and radio waves. Theorists believe they exist and are important for understanding the universe’s formation. Researchers continue to search for evidence and confirm each discovery before announcing it. A dark galaxy is a cluster of […]
Spiral galaxies, the most common type, have a distinctive spiral shape with a dense core and arms of young stars. They are surrounded by a halo of older stars and gas and dust. The Milky Way is a barred spiral galaxy, classified as SBb. Identifying a galaxy’s class can be difficult due to perspective. A […]
The Sagittarius Dwarf elliptical galaxy is the third closest neighboring galaxy to the Milky Way, engaged in a polar orbit around it. It’s losing a stellar flux and is one of the few galaxies on a direct collision course with the Milky Way. The Sagittarius Dwarf elliptical galaxy is the third closest neighboring galaxy to […]
The Triangulum Galaxy, also known as Messier 33 or NGC 59, is a medium-sized galaxy in the constellation Triangulum, visible to the naked eye in very dark skies. It is a member of the Local Group and has a “twist factor” similar to the Milky Way. Triangulum has a notable H II region and may […]
Irregular galaxies lack a regular structure or rotation and can be classified by unusual features. They make up 3-25% of galaxies and have three classifications: Irr-1, Irr-2, and irregular dwarf. They tend to have a weight of 108-1010 solar masses, diameters of 1-10 kiloparsecs, and high amounts of gas and dust. They can form from […]
The Andromeda Galaxy is 2 million light years from Earth and has more stars than the Milky Way, but recent measurements suggest the Milky Way may be more massive. The two galaxies may collide in five billion years, but it is no longer thought to be inevitable. Both galaxies are the largest in the Local […]
