Galaxy Collision at 2 Million MPH Revealed in Unprecedented Detail
Astronomers use advanced WEAVE spectrograph to study Stephan's Quintet, uncovering new insights into intergalactic shock phenomena.
- A galaxy traveling at over 2 million miles per hour collided with Stephan's Quintet, creating a powerful shockwave akin to a sonic boom.
- The event was captured using the WEAVE spectrograph on the William Herschel Telescope, combined with data from JWST, LOFAR, and VLA.
- Researchers identified a dual nature of the shock front: hypersonic speeds ionizing cold gas and weaker shocks compressing surrounding hot gas.
- The collision reawakened dynamic activity in Stephan's Quintet, a galaxy group known for its complex debris field from past interactions.
- The findings, published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, highlight WEAVE's potential to revolutionize galaxy formation studies.
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