Tag

Dwarf Galaxies

All articles tagged with #dwarf galaxies

science2 months ago

New Study Confirms Dark Matter Follows Gravity Like Ordinary Matter

A recent study analyzing 12 dwarf galaxies provides strong evidence supporting the existence of dark matter, challenging alternative theories like Modified Newtonian Dynamics (MOND). The findings show that the gravitational fields of these galaxies cannot be explained by visible matter alone, reinforcing the dark matter hypothesis and narrowing the search for its nature.

science3 months ago

Unveiling the Dawn of Time's First Light

Recent observations from the Hubble and James Webb Space Telescopes suggest that small dwarf galaxies played a crucial role in illuminating the early Universe during cosmic reionization, challenging previous assumptions that larger galaxies and black holes were the primary sources of ionizing radiation. This discovery highlights the importance of low-mass galaxies in shaping the Universe's evolution and opens new avenues for understanding our cosmic origins.

astronomy7 months ago

Supermassive Black Holes May Anchor Tiny Galaxies

The article explores the role of supermassive black holes in anchoring tiny galaxies, highlighting that smaller galaxies tend to be more dark matter dominated and may host supermassive black holes, with some evidence suggesting a connection between black holes and the structure of these faint galaxies, especially in the context of dark matter and galaxy formation.

space1 year ago

Astronaut Captures Stunning Galaxy Views from ISS

NASA Astronaut Don Pettit captured stunning images of the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds, two dwarf galaxies, from the International Space Station (ISS). Despite common misconceptions, stars are visible from space, and Pettit used a homemade tracker to counteract the ISS's rapid movement, allowing for clear photos. His work highlights the challenges of space photography, such as dim stars and rapid motion. Additionally, Pettit shared a video of "cosmic fireflies," which are actually reflections from Starlink satellites, raising concerns about light pollution from satellite megaconstellations.

science1 year ago

Galactic Cluster Challenges Universe Model

Astronomers have discovered a rare group of five interacting dwarf galaxies, located 117 million light years away, challenging the prevailing Lambda cold dark matter model of the universe. These galaxies, designated D1 to D5, are aligned in a straight line and show signs of mutual tidal interactions, with some sharing a common rotational direction. This unusual configuration raises questions about galaxy formation and evolution, potentially offering new insights into cosmological history. The findings were published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters.

science1 year ago

Counting the Galaxies Orbiting the Milky Way

The Milky Way galaxy has approximately 60 known satellite galaxies orbiting it within a distance of 1.4 million light-years, though this number is continually updated as new discoveries are made. These satellite galaxies, including the visible Large and Small Magellanic Clouds, are often faint and require advanced telescopes to detect. Over time, the Milky Way's gravitational pull may eventually consume these smaller galaxies, as it has done with others in the past.

science1 year ago

Unveiling the Cosmic Dawn: What Ignited the Universe's First Light

Recent research using data from the Hubble and James Webb Space Telescopes has revealed that small dwarf galaxies played a crucial role in the early Universe by emitting ionizing photons that reionized the murky hydrogen fog, effectively "switching on" the lights of the cosmos. These dwarf galaxies, far more numerous and brighter than previously thought, outnumber larger galaxies by 100 to 1 and collectively emit significant ionizing radiation. This discovery challenges previous assumptions about the sources of cosmic reionization and highlights the importance of understanding low-mass galaxies in the Universe's evolution.