Starburst Galaxies Contain Much Higher Proportions of Massive Stars
Astronomers using ALMA and the VLT have discovered that both starburst galaxies in the early Universe and a star-forming region in a nearby galaxy contain…
Starbursts are a phenomenon in astronomy where an unusually high rate of star formation occurs within a galaxy. These bursts can produce stars at a rate tens or even hundreds of times greater than average, often triggered by interactions or collisions with other galaxies. During these events, the intense gravitational forces and the mixing of gases can lead to the rapid formation of new stars, especially in areas rich in molecular clouds. Starbursts can last anywhere from 10 million to a billion years, depending on the size and dynamics of the galaxy involved. They play a significant role in the evolution of galaxies by influencing their luminosity, structure, and the chemical enrichment of the interstellar medium. Observations of starburst galaxies are crucial for understanding the processes that drive galactic formation and evolution across the cosmos.
Astronomers using ALMA and the VLT have discovered that both starburst galaxies in the early Universe and a star-forming region in a nearby galaxy contain…
Fresh insight into how stars are formed is challenging scientists’ understanding of the Universe. A study of intense starbursts – events in distant galaxies in…
This new Hubble image of the week gives us a closer look at the starburst region in NGC 4536. Galaxy formation and evolution are still…
This newly released Hubble image shows starburst galaxy MCG+07-33-027, which is located 300 million light-years away. This image was taken by the NASA/ESA Hubble Space…
This newly released Hubble image shows the starburst galaxy Messier 94, which is roughly 16 million light-years away. This image shows the galaxy Messier 94,…
This newly released Hubble image shows dwarf galaxy NGC 1140, which is located 60 million light-years away. This dramatic image shows the NASA/ESA Hubble Space…
This newly released Hubble image shows blue compact dwarf galaxy SBS 1415+437. The bright streak of glowing gas and stars in this NASA/ESA Hubble Space…
Using data from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope, astronomers take a significant step forward in understanding how dwarf galaxies contributed to the star population in our…
Astrophysicists used computer simulations of a typical galaxy merger to show that collisions change the nature of the turbulence in the galactic gas of galaxies,…
Researchers used the Submillimeter Array at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics to view star cluster W49A, revealing an intricate network of filaments feeding star-building material…
Using data from the ALMA telescope, astronomers shed new light on galaxy formation, finding evidence that some growing galaxies spew out more gas than they…
New research presented at this year’s meeting of the American Astronomical Society suggests that NGC 6334 is forming stars at a more rapid pace than…
Using data from the Herschel Space Observatory, researchers report finding the earliest known galaxy undergoing a massive burst of star formation, existing at least as…
Using the Hubble Space Telescope, astronomers observed 20 nearby galaxies, some of which were known to be undergoing a starburst, finding that the winds accompanying…
Using ESA’s infrared Herschel space observatory and spectrometers on the twin 10-meter W.M. Keck telescopes on Mauna Kea, Hawaii, astronomers characterized 767 previously unseen starburst…
Using computer simulations, a team of astronomers found that when galaxies collide and form starbursts, the total number of star clusters decreases. Their research shows…