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Prolate rotator galaxy

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Class of galaxy that is cigar shaped and rotates around its long axis "Spindle Galaxy" redirects here. For the galaxy commonly referred to as the "Spindle Galaxy", see NGC 3115.

A prolate rotator galaxy, or spindle galaxy, is an unusual class of galaxy that is cigar-shaped and rotates around its long axis. A prolate rotator galaxy is an elliptical galaxy in prolate rotation, meaning they possess a significant amount of rotation around their major axis. To create a prolate rotator galaxy, two large spiral galaxies must collide at right angles. One forms the central bar, the other the disk. The bar then dominates the system.

As of 2017, 20 such galaxies were known. Their existence is also predicted by large-scale cosmological simulations.

References

  1. ^ Pössel, Markus (12 October 2017). "Astronomers discover unusual spindle-like galaxies". Max Planck Institute for Astronomy. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
  2. Osborne, Hannah (13 October 2017). "Eight Weird, Spindle-Like Galaxies Discovered by Astronomers". Newsweek. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
  3. Tsatsi, A.; et al. (October 2017). "CALIFA reveals prolate rotation in massive early-type galaxies: A polar galaxy merger origin?". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 606. A62. arXiv:1707.05130. Bibcode:2017A&A...606A..62T. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201630218. S2CID 54571420.
  4. Ebrová, Ivana & Łokas, Ewa L. (December 2017). "Galaxies with Prolate Rotation in Illustris". The Astrophysical Journal. 850 (2). 144. arXiv:1708.03311. Bibcode:2017ApJ...850..144E. doi:10.3847/1538-4357/aa96ff. S2CID 96422162.
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