These two galaxy groups are about to destroy each other –

Almost 2.8 billion light years of Earth, two groups in the galaxy participate in a cosmic conflict. These tremendous structures rose the last time about a billion years ago, but now they seem to return to the second round.

Galaxy groups participating in this quarrel are part of a larger system – combined “galaxy” group – called PSZ2 G181. In a study published in Astronomical physical magazine In April, the researchers analyzed new notes for PSZ2 G181 indicating that their component groups are preparing to destroy each other for the second time.

The main collisions between the galaxy groups are generally rare, according to European Space Agency (ESA), but frequent collision is definitely more strange. Moreover, the total mass of the PSZ2 G181 is unusually low compared to other compact galaxy groups that resulted from collision, adding another layer of privacy to the results.

Astronomers know that the individual galaxy groups that make up PSZ2 G181 have shattered each other once before thanks to the previous radio notes, according to NASA. statement.

This work revealed areas in the form of brackets of radio emissions spread on the outskirts of the regime. These structures are likely to be the result of the initial collision a billion years ago.

This new study, led by Andra Sttro, post -PhD fellow at the Harvard and Smithsonian Center for Astronomical Physics, leads to the validity of the idea of ​​a previous collision. The researchers analyzed new notes for PSZ2 G181 from two X-ray-Nasa Chandra and European Space Agency. Their studies identified a bridge of cold gas that connects the two groups, which may have resulted from the abstraction of gas during the first collision, according to their report.

Over the past one billion years, the two groups have been swept away and now nearly 11 million light years have come to each other. This is the biggest separation of these types of structures that astronomers have ever seen, according to NASA’s statement.

But Stro and her colleagues have found evidence indicating that these galaxy groups are now in a collision path again. The team has revealed three other shock fronts in line with the former axis of collision – a possible early mark on the next second collapse.

The discovery of this rare event provides a new look at the dynamics of combining galaxy groups-especially those that include low mass systems, which are not present. As researchers note, finding radio emissions from low -mass groups such as PSZ2 G181 is a challenge, but “with the emergence of telescopes and investigative studies of the new generation radio, we may discover” ice tip “, which they mention in their report.