Astronomers discovered that another galaxy collided with the Milky Way, revealing significant consequences. Check out the details and images!

In space, collisions and mergers of galaxies occur frequently. Several dozen dwarf galaxies are located near the Milky Way, drawn in by its gravitational pull. This will inevitably lead to interactions between these objects and the subsequent absorption of the relatively smaller neighbors by our large galaxy. Using the Hubble Space Telescope, astronomers discovered that one such collision has already taken place, although it did not result in catastrophic consequences for the dwarf galaxy. The study is published in The Astrophysical Journal, reports Earth.

The authors of the study believe that the dwarf galaxy Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), which is one of our closest galactic neighbors, does not orbit the Milky Way but rather passes by it. The research indicates that the closest interaction between the LMC and the Milky Way has recently concluded. This minor collision resulted in the Milky Way acquiring a significant portion of interstellar gas from the halo of the dwarf galaxy. The galactic halo is an invisible spherical part of a galaxy filled with sparse interstellar gas, stars, and dark matter.

For the first time, astronomers have been able to measure the halo of the LMC, and surprisingly, it turned out to be quite small compared to other galaxies of similar mass. The halo of the LMC measures approximately 50,000 light-years in diameter, which is about ten times smaller than that of other dwarf galaxies with the same mass. This discovery suggests that the halo of the LMC has diminished following its recent encounter with the Milky Way.

According to scientists, such collisions typically result in dwarf galaxies losing a significant portion of their interstellar gas and ceasing to form new stars. However, the LMC, due to its mass, has managed to survive, and although it has lost a substantial amount of gas, the process of star formation has not halted. In fact, 10% of the LMC's halo has remained intact.

The mass of the LMC is only 10% that of the Milky Way, yet it is still larger than most dwarf galaxies.

Scientists state that the new study serves as a reminder that the process of galaxy interactions is not as straightforward and clear-cut as it may seem; rather, it represents a chaotic dance of cosmic forces.