Thursday, July 3, 2025

High-Speed Gas Clouds Fuel Star Formation in Depleted Galaxies

M83 is a grand design spiral galaxy also known as the Southern Pinwheel Galaxy. New research found clouds of gas moving strangely in the galaxy. These clouds could have come from an external source and are triggering more star formation. Image Credit: NASA, ESA and the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA); Acknowledgment: W. Blair (STScI/Johns Hopkins University) and R. O’Connell (University of Virginia)

How do galaxies like ours continue producing stars long after they should have used up their star-forming gas. Somehow, an external gas source must find its way into the galaxy. New research has found evidence of gas clouds that found their way into a spiral galaxy, likely fueling continued star formation.



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