Galaxy

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Jun 10, 2013 01:54 PM EDT

Smallest Galaxy in Known Universe Measured: Tiny System Discovered by Astronomers

You normally wouldn't consider a galaxy to be "tiny;" but in this case, it is. Astronomers have now measured the least massive galaxy in the known universe, and have made some surprising discoveries because of it.

Jun 04, 2013 09:10 AM EDT

Milky Way Galaxy's Local Arm Far Larger Than Previously Thought

Astronomers once thought that our Solar System's Milky Way galaxy resided in a small structure called the Local Arm. Now, though, they've discovered that the Local Arm is far larger than previously thought and is more like the adjacent major arms rather than a small spur.

May 29, 2013 07:29 AM EDT

Moon Telescope Will Show Stars, Galaxies and Earth from Lunar Surface on the Internet

A telescope is set to launch to the moon in 2015 and will allow the public to go on the Internet and view the Earth from the lunar surface.

May 27, 2013 07:33 AM EDT

How Galaxies Feed: Cosmic Swirly Straws Suck up Funnels of Fuel

Galaxies form over billions of years, using cosmic material to form planetary bodies. Now, researchers have discovered how these galaxies actually feed; they may employ a cosmic version of swirly straws.

May 22, 2013 02:46 PM EDT

Rare Merger of Ancient Galaxies Solves Mystery of Galaxy Evolution

Years ago when the universe was still young, two massive galaxies collided. Now, ESA's Herschel space observatory has spotted the rare encounter between the two gas-rich galaxies, which may provide clues to galaxy formation.

Galaxy cluster Abell 1689 one of the most massive objects in the Universe

May 13, 2013 02:50 PM EDT

Enormous Galaxy Cluster Seen Distorting Space-Time Fabric

Bright arcs can be seen smeared around the heart of the enormous galaxy cluster Abell S1077 in this image taken by the Hubble space telescope. These arcs are actually stretched images of distant galaxies distorted by the cluster's huge gravitational field.

enormous cloud of hot gas is surrounding two merging spiral galaxies chandra

Apr 30, 2013 05:23 PM EDT

Enormous Cloud Around Two Colliding Galaxies Imaged by Chandra X-Ray Observatory

A new image of the space-based X-ray observatory Chandra shows the enormous cloud of hot gas resulting from the epic collision of two large, colliding galaxies. This unusually large reservoir of gas contains as much mass as 10 billion Suns, spans about 300,000 light years, and radiates at a temperat...

bright blue stars is the cluster NGC 2547, a group of recently formed stars

Mar 28, 2013 11:55 PM EDT

Our Galaxy is Ancient, But New Stars Are Still Born (Picture)

Our galaxy is nearly as old as the Universe itself, but there is still some action in the form of newborn stars. The age of the Universe can be determined quite exactly to be 13.8 billion years, while our galaxy, the Milky Way, is also ancient — some of its stars are more than 13 billion years old...

Mar 27, 2013 04:19 PM EDT

The Lost Galaxy NGC 4535 Seen Through ESO Very Large Telescope

The ESO 8.2-meter Very Large Telescope made this amazing image of "the lost galaxy" NGC 4535, which is one of the largest galaxies in the massive Virgo Cluster. This mega cluster consists of as many as 2000 galaxies and is about 50 million light-years away. Although the Virgo Cluster is not much lar...

Mar 18, 2013 03:37 PM EDT

Mysterious Ring Galaxy With Unique Shape Imaged by Hubble [Photo]

A rare variant in the sky around us includes ring galaxies like the one pictured here, bearing the designation Zw II 28.

Feb 26, 2013 05:20 PM EST

Whirlpool Galaxy M51 is a Real Beauty

The Whirlpool Galaxyis one of astronomy's galactic darlings. Located only about 30 million light-years away in the constellation Canes Venatici (the Hunting Dogs), the Whirlpool's beautiful face-on view and closeness to Earth allow astronomers to study a classic spiral galaxy's structure and star-fo...

Feb 15, 2013 04:32 PM EST

Galactic Core Black Holes Grow Faster Than Expected

Black holes are growing faster than previously thought possible, which includes the black hole in our own Milky Way Galaxy, according to an astronomical study published this week in the Astrophysical Journal.