{"id":11983,"date":"2024-09-18T12:33:36","date_gmt":"2024-09-18T16:33:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/zobi.alcowep.com\/bourtagshdrevxnls658739\/nasas-webb-provides-another-look-into-galactic-collisions\/"},"modified":"2024-09-18T12:33:36","modified_gmt":"2024-09-18T16:33:36","slug":"nasas-webb-provides-another-look-into-galactic-collisions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/zobi.alcowep.com\/bourtagshdrevxnls658739\/nasas-webb-provides-another-look-into-galactic-collisions\/","title":{"rendered":"NASA\u2019s Webb Provides Another Look Into Galactic Collisions"},"content":{"rendered":"

NASA\u2019s Webb Provides Another Look Into Galactic Collisions<\/h2>\n

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4 Min Read<\/div>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tNASA\u2019s Webb Provides Another Look Into Galactic Collisions\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\"A<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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This composite image of Arp 107 reveals a wealth of information about the star-formation and how these two galaxies collided hundreds of million years ago (full image below).<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n\t\t\t\t\t\tCredits: <\/span>
\n\t\t\t\t\t\tNASA, ESA, CSA, STScI<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Smile for the camera! An interaction between an elliptical galaxy and a spiral galaxy, collectively known as Arp 107, seems to have given the spiral a happier outlook thanks to the two bright \u201ceyes\u201d and the wide semicircular \u201csmile.\u201d The region has been observed before in infrared by NASA\u2019s Spitzer Space Telescope<\/a> in 2005, however NASA\u2019s James Webb Space Telescope displays it in much higher resolution. This image is a composite, combining observations from Webb\u2019s MIRI (Mid-Infrared Instrument)<\/a> and NIRCam (Near-Infrared Camera)<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Image A: Arp 107 (NIRCam and MIRI Image)<\/h2>\n
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\"A<\/a><\/figure>
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This composite image of Arp 107, created with data from the James Webb Space Telescope\u2019s NIRCam (Near-Infrared Camera) and MIRI (Mid-Infrared Instrument), reveals a wealth of information about the star-formation and how these two galaxies collided hundreds of million years ago.<\/div>\n
NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

NIRCam highlights the stars within both galaxies and reveals the connection between them: a transparent, white bridge of stars and gas pulled from both galaxies during their passage. MIRI data, represented in orange-red, shows star-forming regions and dust that is composed of soot-like organic molecules known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. MIRI also provides a snapshot of the bright nucleus of the large spiral, home to a supermassive black hole.<\/p>\n

Image B: Arp 107 (MIRI Image)<\/h2>\n
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\"A<\/a><\/figure>
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This image of Arp 107, shown by Webb\u2019s MIRI (Mid-Infrared Instrument), reveals the supermassive black hole that lies in the center of the large spiral galaxy to the right. This black hole, which pulls much of the dust into lanes, also display\u2019s Webb\u2019s characteristic diffraction spikes, caused by the light that it emits interacting with the structure of the telescope itself.<\/div>\n
NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

The spiral galaxy is classified as a Seyfert galaxy, one of the two largest groups of active galaxies<\/a>, along with galaxies that host quasars<\/a>. Seyfert galaxies aren\u2019t as luminous and distant as quasars, making them a more convenient way to study similar phenomena in lower energy light, like infrared.<\/p>\n

This galaxy pair is similar to the Cartwheel Galaxy<\/a>, one of the first interacting galaxies that Webb observed. Arp 107 may have turned out very similar in appearance to the Cartwheel, but since the smaller elliptical galaxy likely had an off-center collision instead of a direct hit, the spiral galaxy got away with only its spiral arms being disturbed.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The collision isn\u2019t as bad as it sounds. Although there was star formation occurring before, collisions between galaxies can compress gas, improving the conditions needed for more stars to form. On the other hand, as Webb reveals, collisions also disperse a lot of gas, potentially depriving new stars of the material they need to form.<\/p>\n

Webb has captured these galaxies in the process of merging, which will take hundreds of millions of years. As the two galaxies rebuild after the chaos of their collision, Arp 107 may lose its smile, but it will inevitably turn into something just as interesting for future astronomers to study.<\/p>\n

Arp 107 is located 465 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Leo Minor.<\/p>\n

Video: Tour the Arp 107 Image<\/h2>\n
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Video tour transcript
<\/a>Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, Danielle Kirshenblat (STScI)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The James Webb Space Telescope is the world\u2019s premier space science observatory. Webb is solving mysteries in our solar system, looking beyond to distant worlds around other stars, and probing the mysterious structures and origins of our universe and our place in it. Webb is an international program led by NASA with its partners, ESA (European Space Agency) and CSA (Canadian Space Agency).<\/em><\/p>\n

Downloads<\/h2>\n

Right click any image to save it or open a larger version<\/strong> in a new tab\/window via the browser\u2019s popup menu.<\/p>\n

View\/Download all image products at all resolutions<\/a><\/strong> for this article from the Space Telescope Science Institute.<\/p>\n

Media Contacts<\/h2>\n

Laura\u00a0Betz<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0laura.e.betz@nasa.gov<\/a>, Rob Gutro<\/strong> \u2013 rob.gutro@nasa.gov<\/a>
NASA\u2019s Goddard Space Flight Center<\/a>, Greenbelt, Md.<\/p>\n

Matthew Brown<\/strong> \u2013 mabrown@stsci.edu<\/a>, Christine Pulliam<\/strong> \u2013 cpulliam@stsci.edu<\/a>
Space Telescope Science Institute<\/a>, Baltimore, Md.<\/p>\n

Related Information<\/h2>\n

Video<\/strong>: What happens when galaxies collide?<\/a><\/p>\n

Interactive<\/strong>: Explore \u201cInteracting Galaxies: Future of the Milky Way\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n

Other images: <\/strong>Hubble\u2019s view of Arp 107<\/a> and Spitzer\u2019s view of Arp 107<\/a><\/p>\n

Video<\/strong>: Galaxy Collisions: Simulations vs. Observations<\/a><\/p>\n

Article<\/strong>: More about Galaxy Evolution<\/a><\/p>\n

Video<\/strong>: Learn more about galactic collisions<\/a><\/p>\n

More Webb News<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

More Webb Images<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Webb Science Themes<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Webb Mission Page<\/a><\/strong> <\/p>\n

Related For Kids<\/h2>\n

What is a galaxy?<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

What is the Webb Telescope?<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

SpacePlace for Kids<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

En Espa\u00f1ol<\/h2>\n

\u00bfQu\u00e9 es una galaxia?<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Ciencia de la NASA<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

NASA en espa\u00f1ol\u00a0<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Space Place\u00a0para ni\u00f1os<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

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