Hubble captures the birth of stars after a stellar collision

Galactic collisions usually have catastrophic consequences. Almost always one of the participants ends up destroyed. However, the collision of these huge masses of gas and stardust can also be constructive. This was exactly what the Hubble Space Telescope observed in galaxy AM 1054-325, where star formation and gravitational forces warped it until it became an S shape.

In a statement released by NASA, scientists from Randolph-Macon College in Virginia describe this S-shaped galaxy as the birthplace of millions of new stars.

“We were surprised to see many young stars after 1054–325 am. This is an ideal place to study how they form,” says Michael Rodrak, a researcher at Randolph-Macon College. “The trail, which we call a tidal tail, gives birth to a new generation of stars that would not otherwise exist.”

In his study published in the journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical SocietyExperts detail that they analyzed historical data along with recent Hubble observations to determine the masses of star clusters. What was surprising was that its formation dates back only 10 million years. Scientists don’t know whether these groups will live much longer. Some of their hypotheses are that they may cluster together and form globular star clusters or form a halo around their galaxy. Another possibility is that they separate from the ensemble and become single stars.

“The observations give us insight into how stars form. This is very important for understanding how our galaxy was created,” said Sanchayeta Borthakur, a researcher at Arizona State University.