Astronomy:Prolate rotator galaxy

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Short description: Class of galaxy that is cigar shaped and rotates around its long axis

A prolate rotator galaxy, or spindle galaxy, is an unusual class of galaxy that is cigar-shaped and rotates around its long axis.[1] A prolate rotator galaxy is an elliptical galaxy in prolate rotation,[1][2] meaning they possess a significant amount of rotation around their major axis. To create a prolate rotator galaxy, two large spiral galaxies must collide at right angles.[3] One forms the central bar, the other the disk. The bar then dominates the system.

(As of 2017), 20 such galaxies were known. Their existence is also predicted by large-scale cosmological simulations. [1][4]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Pössel, Markus (12 October 2017). "Astronomers discover unusual spindle-like galaxies". Max Planck Institute for Astronomy. http://www.mpia.de/news/science/2017-11-prolate-galaxies. 
  2. Osborne, Hannah (13 October 2017). "Eight Weird, Spindle-Like Galaxies Discovered by Astronomers". Newsweek. https://www.newsweek.com/spindle-galaxies-rare-discovered-astronomers-684224. 
  3. Tsatsi, A. et al. (October 2017). "CALIFA reveals prolate rotation in massive early-type galaxies: A polar galaxy merger origin?". Astronomy & Astrophysics 606: A62. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201630218. Bibcode2017A&A...606A..62T. 
  4. Ebrová, Ivana; Łokas, Ewa L. (December 2017). "Galaxies with Prolate Rotation in Illustris". The Astrophysical Journal 850 (2): 144. doi:10.3847/1538-4357/aa96ff. Bibcode2017ApJ...850..144E.