The Coma Cluster is like a cosmic city packed with over a thousand galaxies. If youโve got a backyard telescope, you can actually spot some of themโcheck out Caldwell 35 for a start!
Most of the galaxies in this cluster are elliptical, which isnโt surprising. In dense clusters like this, galaxies get up close and personal, sometimes even colliding. These interactions stir things up big time.
Hereโs how it works.
When galaxies get too close, their stars mostly stick together, but their gas gets twisted and compressed by gravity. This sparks a frenzy of star formation.
The problem is, those big, bright blue stars donโt live long, and once they burn out, thereโs usually not much gas left to make new stars. This leaves behind galaxies full of older, cooler stars orbiting in random directionsโwelcome to the world of elliptical galaxies.
Spiral galaxies, with their gorgeous arms, donโt stand a chance in these interactions. Gravity messes up their neat structures, and the spirals are no more.
Take MCG+05-31-045, for instance. This smaller spiral galaxy is in for a rough ride as it gets absorbed by a bigger galaxy.
During this process, tons of new stars will be born, but the hot, blue ones will fade fast. Whatโs left will cool and settle into another elliptical galaxy, just like its neighbors in the Coma Cluster.
But donโt hold your breathโthis cosmic makeover will take millions of years to finish!
