What powers the most luminous galaxies?
Monday, July 9, 2018 - 06:30
in Astronomy & Space
Galaxy-galaxy interactions have long been known to influence galaxy evolution. They are commonplace events, and a large majority of galaxies show signs of interactions, including tidal tails or other morphological distortions. The most dramatic collisions trigger the galaxies to light up, especially in the infrared, and they are some of the most luminous objects in the sky. Their brightness allows them to be studied at cosmological distances, helping astronomers reconstruct activity in the early universe.