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Starburst Galaxies Research Paper

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While learning in this unit in astronomy, something that caught my attention was called "starburst galaxies." Galaxies in general are basically billions of large independent groups of stars that exist in the universe. What sets a starburst galaxy apart from a regular galaxy is the fact that starburst galaxies have an exceptionally high rate of star formation inside of it. Some of these galaxies are so active that they are forming thousands of new stars every year, compared to the Milky Way producing about one star per year. This furious formation of stars typically happens when galaxies are in the process of or have recently undergone a collision with another galaxy. The gravitational interaction between the two galaxies sends strong shockwaves through enormous clouds of gas, making them collapse and create star forming regions. These develop some of the most gigantic stars in our universe; huge blue stars with over a hundred solar masses.

The larger a star, the shorter their lifespan is, and they explode as supernovae, blasting out powerful shockwaves that create a chain-reaction that spews throughout the galaxy. Within just a few million years, the galaxy is forming stars up to hundreds of times more than a normal galaxy would. When all of the gas available is used up in about ten million years, the galaxy calms down and the period …show more content…

Although, it is happening in some of the closer galaxies such as NGC 253. The Hubble Space Telescope has revealed very luminous star clusters, dust lanes, dense gas and glowing gas in the core of this starburst galaxy. The Hubble Space Telescope has also recognized several regions of extreme star formation, that also includes a bright and very compacted star cluster, which confirms the theory that stars are often born in dense star clusters inside of

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