The universe has infinite objects in it. Among the objects that have been discovered by scientists, many are still shrouded in question marks and mystery.
One of them is Object Hoag, the most mysterious ring galaxy in the universe. Its unique and unusual shape has often confused scientists since its early discovery. Curious about what mysteries are in the Hoag Object? Come on, see below! this!
1. Discovered by Arthur Hoag in 1950
Hoag’s object was first discovered by an astronomer named Arthur Hoag in 1950. Initially, Hoag was confused by the object he was observing because of its unusual shape.
Reported Hubblesite, Hoag thought the smoke ring-like object was a planetary nebula, a remnant of the light of a sun-like star. But then, he quickly dismissed his guess, then concluded that the mysterious object was most likely a galaxy.
Furthermore, Hoag’s prediction was confirmed by deeper observations made in 1970.
–
2. The most mysterious ring galaxy in the universe
illustration of Hoag objects in the universe (universetoday.com)–
Reported SpaceThe Hoag object is the most mysterious ring galaxy ever discovered in the universe. So full of mysteries, scientists admit it is difficult to study this rare galaxy.
It is known that the Hoag object’s ring is up to 100,000 light years wide, slightly larger than the Milky Way galaxy. Meanwhile, its distance from Earth is estimated at 600 million light years.
Also read: 5 Myths about Outer Space that Many People Believe
–
3. Called the galaxy within the galaxy
Continue reading the article below
Editor’s picks
–
image of Hoag Object (Hubble Telescope/NASA doc)–
Hoag objects are also called galaxies within galaxies. Because, this mysterious object looks like two fused galaxies, where a round and dense object in the middle is surrounded by a shimmering ring of smoke.
If observed through a telescope, the dark empty space that separates the two objects is actually filled with stars. Although the image of the Hoag Object has been obtained as detailed as possible, the materials in this galaxy are still a mystery.
–
4. The ring is dominated by massive young star clusters
illustration of the collision of two galaxies (doc. NASA/ESA/Hubble)–
The Hoag Object Ring is dominated by massive young star clusters with billions to trillions in number. The blue color of the ring contrasts with the reddish-orange center core.
Unlike the ring, the core of the Hoag Object is dominated by stars that are much older. However, the chemical composition of this galaxy is not clearly known.
–
5. The cause of its formation is still unknown
illustration of a Hoag object in the night sky (cloudynights.com)–
Since the Hoag Object is the most mysterious galaxy in the universe, the cause of its formation is still unknown to scientists. However, there are two popular hypotheses regarding the origin of this strange galaxy, namely galactic collisions and gravitational effects.
Reported NASA, Arthur Hoag once stated that the blue rings in galaxies are just optical illusions created by lenses or gravitational effects. However, the hypothesis was refuted by scientists who carried out further research on the Hoag Object.
Then, an ancient galaxy collision hypothesis was proposed, which called the Hoag Object the result of the collision of two galaxies billions of years ago. In this hypothesis it is said that the Hoag Object was once a disc-shaped galaxy that eventually tore apart due to a collision with a neighboring galaxy.
Those are some facts about Hoag Object, the most mysterious galaxy ever found in the universe. Hopefully this information can add to your knowledge, yes!
Also Read: Amazing, 5 Sightings of Galactic Collision Objects in the Universe
–
IDN Times Community is a medium that provides a platform for writing. All written works are the sole responsibility of the author.
–
