Pressure makes diamonds, but ram pressure can make stars! đ
A dwarf galaxy in constellation Coma Berenices, located 54 million light-years away, is undergoing a highly-energetic event, captured here by @NASAHubble. The little galaxy is undergoing a process called ram pressure stripping that is driving unusually high levels of star formation in regions of the galaxy.
The gas and dust that permeate space exert pressure on galaxies. This resistance, called ram pressure, can strip a galaxy of its star-forming gas and dust, or may limit the creation of new stars. However, ram pressure can also compress gas in other parts of the galaxy, which can boost star formation. In this case, the galaxy appears to have absolutely no star formation along its edges, which bear the brunt of ram pressure stripping, but the star formation rates deeper within the galaxy are booming!
Image description: A dwarf spiral galaxy. The center is not particularly bright and is covered by some dust, while the outer disk and halo wrap around as if swirling in water. Across the face of the galaxy, an arc of brightly glowing spots marks areas where new stars are forming. The galaxy is surrounded by tiny, distant galaxies on a dark background.
Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA, M. Sun
#NASA #Small #Galaxy #HighEnergy #Energetic #StarPower #NASAHubble #SmallButMighty
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24 February 2024
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