Astronomers are still searching for why starburst galaxies form. Currently,
the most widely accepted theory is a collision or a close encounter
with another galaxy that starts a chain reaction. The impact of such a collision
produces shock waves throughout the galaxy that push on vast
clouds of interstellar dust and gas that are present. These shock waves in
turn cause the clouds to collapse and produce short-lived, massive stars.
The stars that form from this collision quickly use up their nuclear fuel
and explode in a supernova (an extremely bright new star). This explosion
produces yet more shock waves and consequently more star formations.
The formation of a starburst galaxy ends when its giant clouds of
gas are used up or pushed too far away due to the explosions.
Starburst galaxies often emit three-quarters of their light in the form
of infrared light. During the formation of stars, the large clouds of gas
and dust that the stars form in heat up and the dust emits infrared light,
which is able to get through the clouds of gas. But because the light that
comes through is infrared, starburst galaxies are relatively unspectacular
when viewed through a regular telescope. However, an infrared telescope
(a telescope that allows the user to see the usually invisible infrared wavelengths)
shows starburst galaxies standing out from all other galaxies because
of their brightness from the continuing formation of stars.
Starburst galaxies most often appear irregularly shaped when compared
to regular galaxies. Most galaxies are spiral or elliptical in shape.
For instance, both the Milky Way galaxy (our galaxy that includes a few
hundred billion stars, the Sun, and our solar system) and the Andromeda
galaxy (the nearest galaxy similar in size to the Milky Way, located
2.2 million light-years away) are spiral-shaped. Astronomers believe that
the irregular shape of starburst galaxies is due to their collision or nearcollision
with other galaxies.
the most widely accepted theory is a collision or a close encounter
with another galaxy that starts a chain reaction. The impact of such a collision
produces shock waves throughout the galaxy that push on vast
clouds of interstellar dust and gas that are present. These shock waves in
turn cause the clouds to collapse and produce short-lived, massive stars.
The stars that form from this collision quickly use up their nuclear fuel
and explode in a supernova (an extremely bright new star). This explosion
produces yet more shock waves and consequently more star formations.
The formation of a starburst galaxy ends when its giant clouds of
gas are used up or pushed too far away due to the explosions.
Starburst galaxies often emit three-quarters of their light in the form
of infrared light. During the formation of stars, the large clouds of gas
and dust that the stars form in heat up and the dust emits infrared light,
which is able to get through the clouds of gas. But because the light that
comes through is infrared, starburst galaxies are relatively unspectacular
when viewed through a regular telescope. However, an infrared telescope
(a telescope that allows the user to see the usually invisible infrared wavelengths)
shows starburst galaxies standing out from all other galaxies because
of their brightness from the continuing formation of stars.
Starburst galaxies most often appear irregularly shaped when compared
to regular galaxies. Most galaxies are spiral or elliptical in shape.
For instance, both the Milky Way galaxy (our galaxy that includes a few
hundred billion stars, the Sun, and our solar system) and the Andromeda
galaxy (the nearest galaxy similar in size to the Milky Way, located
2.2 million light-years away) are spiral-shaped. Astronomers believe that
the irregular shape of starburst galaxies is due to their collision or nearcollision
with other galaxies.
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