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courses:ast100:2.3 [2026/02/24 05:02] – [Evolution of galaxies] asadcourses:ast100:2.3 [2026/02/24 05:03] (current) – [Evolution of galaxies] asad
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 ===== Evolution of galaxies ===== ===== Evolution of galaxies =====
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 Galaxies evolve probably through a "bottom-up" process known as hierarchical merging, where gravity continuously draws smaller pregalactic fragments and dwarf galaxies together to build progressively larger structures. Because the early universe was much denser, these collisions and mergers were frequent, acting as the primary engine driving galactic evolution. When galaxies undergo close encounters or direct collisions, the rapidly varying gravitational forces severely disrupt their original architectures, compressing immense clouds of interstellar gas. This compression frequently triggers explosive, galaxy-wide episodes of stellar birth, creating what are known as **starburst** galaxies. A spectacular example of this is the Antennae galaxies (pictured above), where two colliding spiral galaxies have drawn out long, sweeping tidal tails of matter and spawned thousands of young, bright "super star clusters" in the wake of violent shock waves. Similar long tidal tails of stars and gas can be seen in another merging system known as the Mice (NGC 4676). Galaxies evolve probably through a "bottom-up" process known as hierarchical merging, where gravity continuously draws smaller pregalactic fragments and dwarf galaxies together to build progressively larger structures. Because the early universe was much denser, these collisions and mergers were frequent, acting as the primary engine driving galactic evolution. When galaxies undergo close encounters or direct collisions, the rapidly varying gravitational forces severely disrupt their original architectures, compressing immense clouds of interstellar gas. This compression frequently triggers explosive, galaxy-wide episodes of stellar birth, creating what are known as **starburst** galaxies. A spectacular example of this is the Antennae galaxies (pictured above), where two colliding spiral galaxies have drawn out long, sweeping tidal tails of matter and spawned thousands of young, bright "super star clusters" in the wake of violent shock waves. Similar long tidal tails of stars and gas can be seen in another merging system known as the Mice (NGC 4676).
  
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 The specific nature of these collisions dictates how a galaxy changes from one type to another on the Hubble sequence. When two massive, comparably sized spiral galaxies undergo a "major merger," the violent gravitational encounter typically destroys their fragile disks and spiral arms, scrambling the stellar orbits and ejecting much of the gas to ultimately leave behind a featureless elliptical galaxy. Conversely, during a "minor merger," a large spiral can absorb a much smaller dwarf companion while preserving its overall structure, which is likely how our own Milky Way grew over time. The cosmos is filled with evidence of these ongoing transformations: the Whirlpool Galaxy (pictured above) displays pronounced spiral arms drawn out by a gravitational encounter with a smaller companion, while the active elliptical galaxy Centaurus A features a thick, irregular dust lane resulting from a past collision with a spiral galaxy. Even our Milky Way is currently cannibalizing the Sagittarius dwarf galaxy, and is on a collision course with the Andromeda Galaxy. The specific nature of these collisions dictates how a galaxy changes from one type to another on the Hubble sequence. When two massive, comparably sized spiral galaxies undergo a "major merger," the violent gravitational encounter typically destroys their fragile disks and spiral arms, scrambling the stellar orbits and ejecting much of the gas to ultimately leave behind a featureless elliptical galaxy. Conversely, during a "minor merger," a large spiral can absorb a much smaller dwarf companion while preserving its overall structure, which is likely how our own Milky Way grew over time. The cosmos is filled with evidence of these ongoing transformations: the Whirlpool Galaxy (pictured above) displays pronounced spiral arms drawn out by a gravitational encounter with a smaller companion, while the active elliptical galaxy Centaurus A features a thick, irregular dust lane resulting from a past collision with a spiral galaxy. Even our Milky Way is currently cannibalizing the Sagittarius dwarf galaxy, and is on a collision course with the Andromeda Galaxy.
  
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