Posted on 10/21/2024 5:31:48 AM PDT by Red Badger
Spiral galaxy IC 3225, captured in this dynamic image by the Hubble Space Telescope, is seen speeding through space within the dense Virgo galaxy cluster. Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA, M. Sun
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This week, the Hubble Space Telescope brings us the stunning image of IC 3225, a spiral galaxy soaring through the cosmos resembling a comet with a tail of gas.
The spiral galaxy featured in this stunning Hubble Space Telescope image is IC 3225. It looks as though it’s been shot from a cannon, racing through space like a comet, with a stream of gas trailing from its disk. Galaxies seen from Earth often create fascinating visual scenes: some appear to float serenely in the emptiness, while others display much more dynamic activity.
Dynamics of the Virgo Galaxy Cluster
Although appearances can be deceiving with objects so far from Earth — IC 3225 is approximately 100 million light-years away — its location helps explain this energetic demeanor. It is part of the Virgo galaxy cluster, which contains over 1,300 galaxies. The cluster’s dense population generates a hot, gas-filled environment known as the ‘intracluster medium.’ The immense gravitational mass of the cluster causes galaxies to orbit its center at incredibly high speeds. As galaxies like IC 3225 move through this thick intracluster medium, they experience ‘ram pressure,’ which strips gas from them as they travel through space.
Astronomical Forces and Galactic Transformations
IC 3225 is not so close to the cluster core right now, but astronomers have deduced that it has undergone this ram pressure stripping in the past. The galaxy looks as though it’s been impacted by this: it is compressed on one side and there has been noticeably more star formation on this leading edge, while the opposite end is stretched out of shape. Being in such a crowded field, a close call with another galaxy could also have tugged on IC 3225 and created this shape. The sight of this distorted galaxy is a reminder of the incredible forces at work on astronomical scales, which can move and reshape even entire galaxies!
Fast Galaxy Ping!....................
When you get to the scale of galaxies in a baseless space, “speed” is relative.
This is a High Performance Galaxy. Probably has a 460 CID V8 engine................
The Leeroy Jenkins Galaxy.
2 4-bbl carbs.
And a 3:11 Rear End.................
“I can’t drive 55!!!”
Drive 55 arrive alive... and save gas too!
Sammy Hagar can’t drive 55,000,000,000 mph either!.............
me and a friend bought a beat up ‘69 galaxy 500 convertible with over 300,000 miles. a LOT of miles! changed the motor to a 390,added a Holley 850 4bbl, appliance headers, roller chain timing gears, a 4 point distributor and a 4 speed on the floor alone with custom wheels. it was So SCARY quick off the line that a few passengers pooped their pant when we took it out. about two months of fast fun later we were tearing up a soft sand road and the steering linkage gave way. I’m spinning the steering wheel around and around but nothing happens so in a 5 feet deep ditch we go...laughing all the way! that was the last galaxy ride. the entire steering system broke from age, abuse and over 200,000 miles past its useful life. live and learn. the galaxy barreling through space has old steering and we may well be the ditch.
Just a lot of sentients who are moving their galaxy out of a bad neighborhood, somehow I doubt they are headed our way.
Cosmic Cannonball. Good name for a garage band.
Definitely dark matter and dark energy driven ...maybe even Darth vader....man, the stuff we really don’t know...I just wish media types wouldn’t act as if any pronouncement by researchers are the last word.
My brother had a 58 Buick convertible with same color scheme...and beautiful red leather interior with ostentatious chrome all over the body...wish I had it now.
Now, that’s exciting...
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