New Hubble Image of a Spectacular "Barred" Galaxy & Brilliant Quasars

          

 

The Hubble space telescope has captured an image of a "barred spiral" galaxy, NGC 1073 in the Cetus constellation, that could hrlp unlock clues to the Milky Way. Most of the known spiral galaxies fall into the"barred" category - defined by the pronounced bar structure across their center, which may be an indication of a galaxy's age. The star-filled bars are thought to form as gravitational density waves channel gas towards the center of the galaxy, creating new stars and possibly also feeding a supermassive black hole lying there.

Two-thirds of nearby, younger galaxies have the bar, while only a fifth of older, more distant spirals have it. Astronomers believe that the ibright source in X-ray light IXO-5 source is actually a "binary" system comprising a star and a black hole in mutual orbit. This galaxy is also well-known due to its line-of-sight towards three brilliant quasars (shown below), billions of light-years further away. Their tremendous energy comes from matter heating up and falling into supermassive black holes at their hearts.

The new image, taken with the NASA/ESA space telescope, shows remarkable detail in its spiral arms. You can also see many far more distant galaxies showing up in the background. In the top left of the image can be seen a rough ring-like structure of recent star formation that hides the bright source of X-rays IXO 5, which marks the position where the supermassive black hole and  star are orbiting each other.

          

Comments

[Jo Waltz]

Sounds like a plan to me dude. WOw.

www.Be-Anon.tk

[someone]

just asking a question: why don't we see galaxies and solar systems aggregate into spherical instead of the most common spiral or disc like shapes ?????

[someone]

http://www.realitysandwich.com/illusionary_story_gravity

The Illusion of Gravity

http://www.realitysandwich.com/sites/realitysandwich.civicactions.net/files/imagecache/large/2357776543_58861d715a_0.jpg

Chris Kaplan

Erik Verlinde, a string theorist and professor of physics at the University of Amsterdam, is shaking the giant box of contemporary science, jumbling what we think we know by declaring that gravity is just an illusion.

Gravity, according to Verlinde, is a microcosmic byproduct of a larger entropic force, which is just one refracted face of a larger field of illusion, much like the Hindu Maya. In physics, entropy and entropic force are determined by the overall effect--the entire landscape--and not by one microscopic path. Verlinde references the standard example in physics of a polymer molecule. "a strand of DNA…curling up." A strand is unique because it offers only one possibility out of the whole realm of possibilities. But due to the infinite nature of outside influences in a macrocosmic entirety, the results are far more probable that the force will cause the "object" to curl and accumulate higher entropic force, like an absorbed sponge or coiled spring.

And that is where the effects of "gravity" come in: gravity is not just one direct acting force onto a particular object, an A>B scenario, but rather the notion of "gravity" is an accumulation of macrocosmic influences, where the law of averages create the propensity for acting entropic force.

According to Verlinde, nature likes options. All of its intimate workings thrive on diversity, and all of the microcosmic elements that build the macrocosm, create a harmonious tension that balances with such entropic force. When something wants to act against the spiraling realm of such cyclical energies, it takes a higher force to shape through all of the diversity to one unique object. Verlinde used the example of frizzing hair to explain such a feat. There are more options for strands of hair to curl than to be straight, and it requires a greater number of factors and energy for the hair to be pulled straight.

If true, maybe defying gravity will only be a matter of finding the right frequency of vibrations, the one path that cuts through all the entropic force.

Dr. Verlinde's paper has raised a lot of of criticism, and a lot of support, but it has definitely raised eyebrows. Even if his theories prove to be unfounded, his ideas already helped to reinvigorate the scientific community, proving that conflict does indeed propel the story.

Image: "Anti-gravity" by tukat on Flickr courtesy of Creative Commons Licensing.

[naveen kumar]

i agree with your thought but is just an explaination, reason lies with the begining and i think searches should be made on the relative position of the galaxies to understand position of there origin. as all the forces leave their signs, there should be a sign of its origin.

[patrick]

Thank you for the two pictures, the comparison make for a careful study.

[chiron7]

Gorgeous! Definitely one of the best pics of 1073 I've seen!