The ghostly shells of galaxy ESO 381-12 are
captured here in a new image from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope,
set against a backdrop of distant galaxies. The strikingly uneven
structure and the clusters of stars that orbit around the galaxy suggest
that ESO 381-12 may have been part of a dramatic collision sometime in
its relatively recent past.
Credit: NASA, ESA, P. Goudfrooij (STScI)
Located roughly 270 million light-years from Earth in the
constellation of Centaurus (The Centaur), a bright constellation in the
southern sky, ESO 381-12, also known as PGC 42871, is categorised as a
lenticular galaxy -- a hybrid galaxy type that shares properties with
both spiral galaxies and elliptical galaxies.
The delicate shells that bloom outwards from ESO 381-12 are very
rarely found around this type of galaxy and their cause is a bit of a
cosmic mystery. It is thought that PGC 42871 may have recently
interacted with another galaxy, sending shock waves through its
structure much like ripples in a pond. These galactic mergers are
violent processes, smashing together material within the clashing
galaxies and completely changing how they look and how they will evolve
in the future. This violent event likely triggered a wave of star
formation throughout the galaxy, leading to the creation of many hot
young stars.
Astronomers have studied ESO 381-12 in detail because of its very
unusual structure. It was one of a sample of galaxies explored by
Hubble's Advanced Camera for Surveys during a recent study of the
properties of shell galaxies created in merger events a billion or so
years ago.
The prominent galaxy at the right of the frame, known as ESO 381-13
or PGC 42877, is a different beast altogether and both active star
formation and dust can be seen within it. However, ESO 381-13 and the
shell galaxy are at very similar distances from Earth and, despite their
differences, may well be interacting.
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