The Coma Cluster is like a cosmic city packed with over a thousand galaxies. If youβve got a backyard telescope, you can actually spot some of themβcheck out Caldwell 35 for a start!
Most of the galaxies in this cluster are elliptical, which isnβt surprising. In dense clusters like this, galaxies get up close and personal, sometimes even colliding. These interactions stir things up big time.
Hereβs 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 donβt live long, and once they burn out, thereβs usually not much gas left to make new stars. This leaves behind galaxies full of older, cooler stars orbiting in random directionsβwelcome to the world of elliptical galaxies.
Spiral galaxies, with their gorgeous arms, donβt 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. Whatβs left will cool and settle into another elliptical galaxy, just like its neighbors in the Coma Cluster.
But donβt hold your breathβthis cosmic makeover will take millions of years to finish!
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