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2w ago

Small Magellanic Cloud Found to Be Torn Apart by Neighboring Galaxy

New research confirms the Large Magellanic Cloud’s gravitational forces are dismantling the SMC, challenging previous assumptions about its rotation and mass.

Image
Image
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.

Overview

  • Astronomers have discovered that the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) is being disrupted by the gravitational pull of the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC).
  • Using Gaia telescope data, researchers tracked the movement of over 7,000 massive stars in the SMC, revealing differential gravitational effects across the galaxy.
  • Contrary to earlier assumptions, the SMC does not exhibit rotational motion, prompting a reassessment of its structural dynamics and mass estimation.
  • The gravitational tug-of-war between the LMC and SMC, potentially influenced by the Milky Way, is leading to the SMC’s gradual disintegration.
  • These findings offer new insights into the complex interactions among nearby galaxies and may alter models of galactic evolution.