An analysis of the composition and motion of more than 500 stars shows that there was a collision between Andromeda and a neighboring galaxy. The findings improved our understanding of the events that shape the evolution of the universe.
In the wake of a catastrophic crash, Galaxies grow by accretion from nearby objects. Astronomers call these stellar associations tidal features. This can include arcs or streams. The forces that shaped the appearance and makeup of a galaxy can be studied.
The movement of the stars can be used to identify the remnants of crashes. This information is used to identify stars in a collision.
She collaborated with Mark Fardal of the Space Telescope Science Institute and Puragra Guhathakurta of UC Santa Cruz.
The NE shelf is a tidal shell composed of debris from the aftermath of a collision.
Their work shows that the NE shelf is part of a multi-shell system with the galaxy's West and Southeast shelves and that the material in these regions is consistent with that of the giant stellar stream.
The results are in line with the model that predicted the first loop of material from a collision and the NE shelf.
This level of analysis confirms predictions about the violent past of Andromeda and informs astronomer's understanding of how material from the collision of stars shapes a galaxy's surrounding features.
All Rights Reserved © 2024
