Barrosa galaxies

1995/01/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Astronomia

Several galaxies have in their center a long bar of stars. They are called barrosa galaxies. Some astronomers have found that the galaxy called NGC 3359 contains a newly formed bar. According to astronomers Jena-Rene Roy of the Laval universality of Québec and Pierre Martin of Steward University, this galaxy offers an enormous opportunity to study how the simple spiral galaxy becomes a barred spiral galaxy. Bars are compact sets of dust and stars. As 30% of galaxies are barren spirals, the study of the young bar of NGC 3359 can give many clues to understand some processes taking place at the heart of many galaxies.