This giant “gas fountain” is 20,000 light years long and moves at a speed 450 times faster than that of a jet fighter.
Tremendous explosions in a galaxy near the Milky Way are spewing material equivalent to about 50 million suns into space. Astronomers discovered this phenomenon while observing NGC 4383, a spiral galaxy in the constellation Coma Berenice, using a Very Large Telescope (VLT) instrument called the Multi Unit Spectroscopic Explorer (MUSE).
What do we know about this gigantic “galactic pollution”
Located approximately 62 million light-years from Earth, NGC 4383 it is part of the Virgo Cluster and is going through a strange and turbulent evolution. This jet of gas, spanning 20,000 light-years, contains enormous quantities of hydrogen and heavier elements. Consider that it is about 450 times faster than an F-16.
What are these cosmic outflows from the nearby galaxy
These outflows are vital to the evolution of the cosmos. The elements exploding in intergalactic space will become the building blocks of the next generation of stars, planets, moons – and perhaps even the foundation of the living things that will one day inhabit those worlds.
Powerful stellar explosions
Scientists believe the huge outflow of gas from this nearby galaxy is the result of powerful star explosions at the heart of NGC 4383. That’s because this region is in the grip of an intense burst of star formation. The most massive stars created in this period are losing mass over their lifetimes due to powerful stellar winds. After millions of years, stars like these die in violent supernova explosions.
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