MadSci Network: Astronomy
Query:

Subject: Can new galaxies form?

Date: Fri Jan 12 00:29:31 2001
Posted by Michael
Grade level: nonaligned School: No school entered.
City: Vancouver State/Province: BC Country: Canada
Area of science: Astronomy
ID: 979277371.As
Message:

Galactic formation in the present era seems to be entirely described in 
terms of galactic collisions and absorptions caused by gravitational 
interaction between already-extant galaxies--e.g., giant elliptical 
galaxies 'swallowing' smaller spirals---implying that, as with quasars, 
the creation of primary, first-generation galaxies no longer happens, 
being a feature of the earlier universe. Is this true? Or can completely 
new first-generation galaxies still form, perhaps from intergalactic 
material, *without* reference to collision and absorption? If so, what 
would a new galaxy look like? Also, if so, do astronomers know the rate of 
new-galaxy creation over, say, one million years? If primary-galaxy 
creation no longer happens, why not? Thank you for any attention you might 
give this query.


Re: Can new galaxies form?

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