NGC 1316: After Galaxies Collide
Explanation:
Astronomers turn detectives when trying to
figure out the cause of unusual sites like
NGC 1316.
A preliminary inspection indicates that
NGC 1316 is an enormous
elliptical galaxy
that started devouring a smaller
spiral galaxy
neighbor about 100 million years ago.
Supporting evidence includes the dark
dust lanes
uniquely indicative of a
spiral.
What remains unexplained are the unusually small
globular star clusters,
visible as faint dots on the
above photograph. Most
elliptical galaxies have
more and brighter globular clusters
than evident in
NGC 1316.
Yet the observed
globulars are too old to have been
created by the recent
spiral collision. One
hypothesis therefore holds that these
globulars
survive from an even earlier galaxy
that was subsumed into NGC 1316.
Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell
(USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings,
and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris.
Specific
rights apply.
A service of:
LHEA at
NASA /
GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
