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2w ago

Small Magellanic Cloud Found to Be Disintegrating Under Gravitational Forces

New research confirms the nearby dwarf galaxy is being pulled apart by the Large Magellanic Cloud, challenging assumptions about its rotation and mass.

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Velocities of massive star candidates within the SMC shown as vectors. The colors of the arrows represent the direction of motion. Relative to the LMC, located at the bottom left of the image, most red arrows show movement towards the LMC, whereas most light blue arrows show movement away from the LMC, suggesting they are being pulled apart.
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Overview

  • Scientists tracked over 7,000 massive stars in the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC), revealing unexpected motion patterns caused by gravitational forces from the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC).
  • The study shows the SMC is not rotating, contrary to prior assumptions, prompting a reevaluation of its structure and dynamics.
  • The lack of rotational motion suggests previous mass estimates for the SMC, which relied on assumed rotation, may be inaccurate.
  • The gravitational interactions between the SMC, LMC, and possibly the Milky Way are leading to the SMC's gradual disintegration.
  • These findings provide new insights into galaxy interactions and could serve as a model for studying similar processes in early-universe galaxies.