NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope has captured an extraordinary cosmic event – a massive galaxy dubbed the “Bullseye” with nine star-filled rings. The discovery was made by a Yale University doctoral student who stumbled upon the unique galaxy while examining a ground-based imaging survey.
The galaxy, LEDA 1313424, is estimated to be around 250,000 light-years across, making it nearly two and a half times larger than our Milky Way. The nine rings are thought to have formed approximately 50 million years ago after a blue dwarf galaxy collided with the main galaxy, creating ripples similar to those formed when a pebble is dropped into a pond.
Astronomers confirm that the collision occurred around 50 million years ago and was instrumental in forming the cosmic spectacle. The Hubble Space Telescope’s exceptional resolution played a crucial role in identifying most of the rings, particularly those clustered at the galaxy’s center.
The discovery not only confirms existing theoretical models but also opens up new avenues for research into galaxy collisions and their long-term effects. Scientists will now work to determine which stars existed before and after the collision and how the galaxy may evolve over billions of years.
This historic finding has implications for future discoveries, including those made possible by NASA’s upcoming Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope.
Source: https://www.techspot.com/news/106699-hubble-captures-massive-bullseye-galaxy-unprecedented-nine-rings.html