Feeding galaxy caught in distant searchlight
Friday, July 5, 2013 - 10:00
in Astronomy & Space
Astronomers have spotted a distant galaxy hungrily snacking on nearby gas. Gas is seen to fall inwards towards the galaxy, creating a flow that both fuels star formation and drives the galaxy's rotation. This is the best direct observational evidence so far supporting the theory that galaxies pull in and devour nearby material in order to grow and form stars.