Astronomers have recorded a rare phenomenon — a collision of galaxies in Stephan's Quintet. Galaxy NGC 7318b, traveling at 3.2 million kilometers per hour, crashed into four other galaxies, causing a powerful shockwave comparable to the sonic boom of a jet fighter. This wave reached Earth and became the subject of close study. A study dedicated to this event was published in the journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.
According to astrophysicist Marina Arnaudova of the University of Hertfordshire, the collision turned the interaction area into a "huge intergalactic debris field." Galaxy NGC 7318b, which scientists call the "new disruptor," compressed plasma and gas, activating their glow at radio frequencies. This phenomenon likely also triggered star formation, making the event particularly significant for studying galaxy evolution.
The shockwave was so powerful that it was able to ionize cold intergalactic gas, leaving behind a glowing trail of plasma. This was made possible by unique data collected by the WEAVE wide-angle spectrograph. Such technological advancements have allowed for a detailed analysis of what happened.
The observation was conducted using the William Herschel Telescope on the island of Palma, as well as data obtained from the James Webb Space Telescope and the LOFAR radio telescope. An international team of 60 astronomers was involved in the study, which underscores the importance of this event for global science. They studied the physical and chemical processes occurring in the collision zone to understand the mechanisms of intergalactic interactions.
Stephan's Quintet, discovered in 1877, has long attracted the attention of scientists. It is called the "galactic crossroads" because frequent interactions between its galaxies create large-scale fields of cosmic debris. These collisions play a key role in the evolution of galaxies, and their study provides important clues about the processes that may have led to the formation of structures like our Milky Way.
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