Researchers from the University of Kansas have managed to discover a new type of galaxy, and its unique traits may change what we now but the end of a galactic lifecycle.
The new galaxy type has been classified as cold quasars, which are dying galaxies located in the farthest corners of the cosmos. Quasars are giant supermassive black holes surrounded by generous amounts of cosmic gas and dust. As the gas and dust tend to heat up, they will emit an impressive amount of light, which helps them to stand out in comparison to other galaxies.
It is thought that they may appear when two galaxy merge and black hole present in each one will collide. For example, the Milky Way, which is our galaxy, will merge with the Andromeda galaxy in the distant future. After billions of year, the two galaxies will be transformed into a single quasar.
Scientists Discover a New Type of Galaxy
During the final stages of the lifecycle, the gas and dust will start to travel towards the center of the quasar, and it will be pushed back into space. It is deemed that this is the terminus point for a galaxy since it will lose the ability to create new stats. However, new data suggests that stars continue to form in some of these cold quasars.
By harnessing the power of X-ray and Infrared telescopes, the team found several 22 quasars, located at a distance ranging between 6 and 12 billion light years. These quasars featured remarkable signatures, and at first sight, it seemed that they were on the brink of death. Upon closer inspection, the team discovered that they continue to releases a notable infrared signature accompanied by dust and cold.
While the center of the galaxy is quiet stars continue to format the borders. The transitional period will last for 10 million years. The discovery will facilitate the understanding of how galaxies evolve and mature over time.
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