Solitary Galaxy, UGC 4879 uncovered by Hubble Telescope
Science and Technology
World
Hubble telescope of NASA captured the drizzle of stars scattered across this image forming a galaxy known as UGC 4879. It is an irregular dwarf galaxy which is smaller and messier than its cosmic cousins. It also lacks the majestic swirl of a spiral or the coherence of an elliptical.
This galaxy is isolated and at a distance of 2.3 million light years from its closest neighbor, Leo A which is in between the Andromeda Galaxy and the Milky Way at the same distance.
This galaxy has not interacted with any surrounding galaxies, making it an ideal laboratory for studying star formation uncomplicated by interactions with other galaxies.
The study on UGC 4879 galaxy revealed a significant amount of star formation in the first 4 billion years after the Big Bang which was followed by a strange 9-billion-year lull in star formation that ended 1 billion years ago by a more recent re-ignition.
However, the reason for this behavior remains mysterious.
The solitary galaxy continues to provide ample study material for astronomers looking to understand the complex mysteries of star birth throughout the universe.
About Hubble Space Telescope
• It is a space project of international cooperation between NASA and the European Space Agency. It was launched in 1990 that orbits Earth.
• Its gaze has helped determine the age of the universe and the existence of dark energy.
• It is managed by NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, while the Hubble science operations are conducted by the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) in Baltimore.
