NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope has produced the first three-dimensional map of the Andromeda galaxy’s satellite system, revealing an asymmetrical structure shaped by past cosmic upheavals. Unlike the Milky Way’s stable satellite population, Andromeda’s companions suggest a history of violent interactions – possibly a major collision billions of years ago.
Researchers spent over 1,000 Hubble orbits on the survey to reconstruct Andromeda’s evolutionary past and uncover clues about galaxy formation and evolution. The findings challenge long-held assumptions about galactic ecosystems and suggest a more tumultuous history for Andromeda than previously thought.
A key question is why Andromeda’s satellite system differs from our own. Studies reveal that smaller galaxies in other systems, like the Milky Way, tend to exhaust their star-forming capabilities sooner, whereas Andromeda’s dwarf galaxies continue forming stars later than expected.
The discovery suggests that Andromeda’s massive gravitational pull and past mergers have disrupted its satellite population, unlike the Milky Way. Instead of stopping star formation billions of years ago, many of these smaller galaxies in Andromeda appear to have had access to gas for much longer periods, allowing continued slow but steady star formation.
The Hubble survey also revealed an unusual structure, with nearly half of the satellite galaxies confined to a single plane and orbiting in the same direction. This asymmetry suggests that a major merger may have disrupted the system, causing it to form in an ordered yet chaotic configuration.
Source: https://indiandefencereview.com/hubbles-andromeda-reveals-galactic-mystery