Galaxies are greatly larger than we initially imagined, stretching out into the vastness of space — so far that the Milky Way likely interacts with our closest neighboring galaxy, Andromeda.
Perhaps the distance to the pharmacy seems daunting,” wrote Douglas Adams in The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, “but that’s just a drop in the bucket when compared to the vastness of space.
The vastness of space is truly staggering. We inhabit one small planet that revolves around a star located in a distant part of a galaxy – just one of an estimated 2 trillion galaxies in the observable universe. Space is positively enormous.
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We are aware of the Earth’s size – approximately 12,756 kilometers (7,926 miles) in diameter. Likewise, we are also familiar with the dimensions of the sun – roughly 1,391,000 kilometers (864,400 miles) across.
Previously, understanding the exact magnitude of galaxies had been a long-standing puzzle.
Galaxies are much larger than previously believed
Research has discovered that galaxies are much larger than previously estimated, potentially being several times bigger.
The spiral structure of the galaxy we are familiar with only constitutes a smaller central core of the galaxy. For the Milky Way, this core measures approximately 100,000 light-years in width.
The light from stars in the spiral arms of the galaxy reaches distant stretches of space, approximately 7,800 light-years away, which was previously believed to be the boundary marking the end of the galaxy and the onset of deep space.
Researchers have found that massive regions of gas are emanating from the edges of visible spiral-shaped star systems far into the universe.
These gas halos were only visible to astronomers with the aid of new imaging techniques. The methods enabled astronomers to detect galaxy gas halos extending beyond 100,000 light years into the vast expanse of space, significantly expanding our understanding of the scale of galaxies.
Kissing galaxies
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Studies reportedly indicate that our Milky Way Galaxy is likely in interaction with its closest neighboring galaxy, Andromeda, which is situated approximately 2.5 million light years away, based on data presented by Nikole Nielsen, the lead author and a researcher with Swinburne University, Australia.
“We’re now seeing where the galaxy’s influence ends, the transition into being part of what’s surrounding the galaxy, and eventually, where it connects to the broader cosmic web and other galaxies. These are generally indistinct boundaries,” said Nielsen in a press statement.
Scientists say this discovery will assist in comprehending one of the most significant questions in astronomy: how galaxies develop.
Galaxies like Pinwheel Galaxy, that no longer contain stars, or those that lose their star-forming ability, will contribute to understanding how galaxies accumulate mass over time and how they impact one another when they interact.
Edited by: Andreas Illmer
Primary source:
Author: Fred Schwaller
