Shocking truth: Many galaxies are being hunted

In the most extreme regions of the universe, galaxies are being killed. Their star formation has stopped and astronomers want to know why this phenomenon is happening.

According to a Carbon Monoxide Survey project (VERTICO), experts are investigating in detail why galaxies in the constellation Virgo are killed by their environment.

Through the Atacama Large Millim Array Observatory (ALMA) , experts to map molecular hydrogen gas. It is a form of fuel for which new stars are created, along with the exploration of 51 galaxies in the Virgo cluster.

Picture 1 of Shocking truth: Many galaxies are being hunted
Clusters of galaxies are the most extensive and extreme environment in the universe.(Image source: Space).

Where galaxies live in the universe and how they interact with their surroundings (the intergalactic environment surrounding them) are the main factors affecting their ability to form stars. But exactly how this environment determines the life and death of galaxies remains a mystery.

Clusters of galaxies are the largest and most extreme environment in the universe, containing hundreds and even thousands of sub galaxies inside that operate with strong gravity, travel thousands of kilometers per second, along streams. Extremely hot plasma emits together with X-ray light.

In this harsh system, galaxies interact strongly with their surrounding intergalactic environment, creating violent energy conflicts . It is these interactions that can kill - or extinguish their star formation, if all interactions are excessive.

In addition, the high temperatures of clusters may stop cooling hot air and condense on galaxies. In this case, the hot gas in the galaxy is positively removed by the environment, resulting in obstruction and squeeze of star formation.