Incredible.
According to the researchers, the engine accounted for up to a whopping 70 percent of all the infrared light emitted from the merger — an astounding proportion, considering how small it is at a mere 570 light-years. To put that number into perspective, the entire system spans 65,000 light-years.
"It is intriguing that this compact source, far from the galactic centers, dominates the infrared luminosity of the system," said co-author and Hiroshima University researcher Thomas Bohn, who compared its size to a speck of pepper on a white egg. In some ways, their findings incur more questions than answers. What exactly could be making this galactic engine so luminous?
Inami proposes that it could be a starburst or a massive black hole, but the team won't know for sure without an extensive follow-up investigation, and perhaps observations. "It is also unusual that the 'engine' lies outside of the main parts of the merging galaxies, so we will explore how this powerful source ended up there," Inami added.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
James Webb Space Telescope reveals stellar 'clumps' from the most distant universeWith a little help from nature, the James Webb Space Telescope reveals clumps of stars nearly as old as the universe itself.
Read more »
James Webb spots asteroid, its tiniest observed object yetJames Webb accidentally spotted a tiny asteroid, making it the smallest object that the space telescope has discovered yet.
Read more »
The James Webb May See the First Stars to Appear in the UniverseAstronomers continue to hunt for the elusive kind of star known as Population III stars, the first stars to appear in the young universe.
Read more »
James Webb Space Telescope Detects Asteroid the Size of Rome’s ColosseumThe object belongs to the poorly known sub-kilometer category of asteroids in the main belt. An asteroid roughly the size of Rome’s Colosseum — between 300 to 650 feet (100 to 200 meters) in length — has been detected by an international team of European astronomers using NASA's James Webb Space Te
Read more »
The James Webb Space Telescope just found an asteroid by total accident, its smallest object yetThe Washington Monument-sized space rock was discovered in data not intended to hunt asteroids and shows how useful the powerful telescope is close to home.
Read more »
Baby Asteroid Photobombs James Webb On AccidentNASA has announced the accidental discovery of an 'extremely small' asteroid by the James Webb Space Telescope — but in space, size is relative.
Read more »