Researchers found reason for disordered and flat galaxies

A group of scientists from the Dublin’s Cardiff University’s School of Physics and Astronomy may have found the reason behind why our galaxies have been shaped in a such a different way. Probably, it can also answer the questions about our evolution and formation of the solar system, galaxies and planets.

As per the study, scientists classified at about 10,000 galaxies and categorized them on the basis of their shape. There were those with the flat, rotating galaxies and the other with oval and disordered galaxies. The Milky Way is one of the flat and rotating galaxies.

According to the Professor Steve Eales, lead author of this study, stated that at about 80 percent of the galaxies were flat and rotating, however, with time half of it turned into a disordered or oval galaxies. Apart from that, the Professor also included that earlier most people thought that the elliptical galaxies were formed because of collision or brushing of two galaxies, however, this new study claims that the change is also due to the natural build up of the stars in the center of the galaxy.

“Many people have claimed before that this metamorphosis has occurred, but by combining Herschel and Hubble, we have for the first time been able to accurately measure the extent of this transformation,” Eales added.

The study proves that the formation of spiral and elliptical galaxies due to collisions isn’t exclusive for our galaxy, but almost every other galaxy observed during the study had this type of transformation in them.

Herschel and Hubble telescopes helped scientists learn about the different shapes of the galaxies of those which are very near to Milky Way, and those which aren’t. Observations made researchers reach to a conclusion on the shapes and their formation.

The study also included that these shapes keep on changing over time, meaning that in future, our galaxy and those which were put for an observation will keep changing the form. Although not necessary that the shape change will only lead to the deformed galaxy, they may be turned into flat or rotating one.