A Galaxy Suprisingly Inside Another Galaxy!
1,324From what it is, to when it was discovered, to just how it was made and whether there are others like it. Join me as explore how a galaxy is surprisingly inside another galaxy!
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Let's think about space for a minute, ok? You know that there levels to the scope of space, right? For example, we live on planet Earth, which is part of a solar system that circles around a sun, and if you go out further, you'll have interstellar space that fills up the Milky Way Galaxy that we reside in. Go even further than that and you'll find a multitude of galaxies that make up the known universe. There's a lot of levels when it comes to space.
Zooming back into the galaxies level, when you think of galaxies you think of them in the singular context. Meaning that every galaxy is one thing, one large galaxy comprised of many objects, but still, one galaxy. This all changed though when it came to Hoag's Object. Which was a literal galaxy...inside of a galaxy.
But we're getting a little ahead of ourselves here. Rewind back to 1950, and astronomer Arthur Hoag discovered something he didn't expect. A ring shaped galaxy deep in space. Further measurements of this galaxy noted that it was an astounding 127,000 light years across. But what set apart Hoag's Object from all of the other galaxies in the universe is that it is part of the .1% of galaxies that are shaped like a perfect ring. Most galaxies are spiral-like in nature, including the Milky Way and the Andromeda Galaxy. But not Hoag's Object. Not only is in ring shaped, but its center is filled with "old stars" that make it look like something much more. Which is kind of the point we're getting to.
Because when Hoag, and others, studied this ring galaxy, they figured out that there was indeed a galaxy within a galaxy. Which shouldn't have been possible by the very nature of how galaxies work (more on that later) but there it was. A galaxy both outer and inner. And yet, when further examination, there is a THIRD Ring Galaxy within the structure. So here we have a nesting doll of galaxies that continues to boggle the mind of those who look upon it. And honestly, we're a bit weirded out by it too.
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Alright, so let's dive into it right away. What could have caused not one or two, but THREE galaxies to merge together in such a way that it creates this very unique effect via the Ring-Shaped Galaxy? Well, as with much science, there is a lot of speculation and theory, but no hard proof. But we'll let you know some of the prevailing theories, ok?
The first theory surmises that what happened here was a cause of right timing and placement. There once was one galaxy. More than likely a regularly shaped one of average galaxy size (and galaxies are huge just so we're clear). Then, one day a rogue galaxy (meaning one that doesn't have a tether) or another galaxy that was just in the area decided to move through the space where our first galaxy resided.
Usually, when something like this happens we get a collision and cannibal effect (more on that later) where one galaxy devours the other. But in this case, because of the distance, the second galaxy just hovered there for a while, causing all sorts of chain reactions, and then flew back out into space. When it did this, the gravity from the first galaxy took some of the stars and items from the second galaxy. When it did this the "new stars" took up space in the first galaxy, but because of various galactic forces were forced away from the core. Which is where the ring came to be. And thus the core of the ringed galaxy is its own galaxy, while the ring is also a galaxy, and the third galaxy is the space in between.
You might think that this is something rather complicated, and it is, but weirder and more random things have happened in space, so there is merit to this.
However, given the laws of probability, and further research on this ring galaxy, there is some flaws to this theory. First and foremost, as far as we can tell...this galaxy has never had a collision with anything else, even a slightly one. Furthermore, the rogue or fast-moving galaxy would've needed to hit the right spot in order to cause the chain reaction that the theory states made the ring. Not impossible...but very improbably. I mean we're talking a billion-to-one shot if not more. That's not the kind of odds scientists like to bank on when trying to explain something.
Theory #2 is one we've alluded to before, and that's the concept of galactic collision.
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