Rubin Observatory Discovers Surprise 'Tail' on Iconic Galaxy
12 days ago
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- The Vera C. Rubin Observatory has detected its first stellar stream, a trail of light extending from the galaxy Messier 61, suggesting it once tore apart a smaller galaxy.
- Messier 61, a starburst galaxy in the Virgo Cluster, has been studied extensively, but the stellar stream was only revealed after filtering excess light from Rubin's first test image.
- The stellar stream is 180,000 light-years long, likely originating from a dwarf galaxy disrupted by Messier 61's gravity, which may explain some of the galaxy's abnormalities.
- Rubin's first image includes ten million galaxies, a precursor to its decade-long mission to observe 20 billion galaxies, more than any other observatory to date.
- Astronomers expect stellar streams to be a common feature around galaxies, fundamental to understanding galaxy formation, with Rubin enabling fainter observations.