Starburst galaxy
A starburst galaxy is a galaxy with a very high rate of star formation. The rate of star formation is so large that the galaxy will quickly use all of its gas reservoir (from which the stars are made).
The starburst nature of a galaxy is a short phase in a galaxy's evolution, about tens of millions of years. Most starburst galaxies are in the midst of a galaxy merger or at least in a close encounter with another galaxy.
Studying nearby starburst galaxies can help us explore the history of galaxy formation and evolution. Many distant galaxies seen are known to be starbursts, but they are too far away to be studied in any detail.
Starburst galaxies seem to be quite rare in our local universe, and are more common further away. This suggests there were more of them billions of years ago. All galaxies were closer together then, and therefore more likely to be influenced by each other's gravity. More frequent encounters produced more starbursts as galactic forms evolved with the expanding universe.
Notable and well-known starburst galaxies
These include:
- M82- The prototype of this class of galaxy and is interacting with Messier 81.Also know as the Cigar Galaxy.
- Antennae galaxies (NGC 4038/NGC 4039) This is actually 2 galaxies, interacting and merging.
- IC 10- The only starburst galaxy in the Local Group and just a mild one.
- Centaurus A- The only case of an elliptical starburst galaxy.
- Messier 100- A so-called Grand design spiral galaxy in Virgo.
- Cartwheel galaxy- A famous ring galaxy.
Starburst Galaxy Media
Light and dust in a nearby starburst galaxy known as 2MASS J082354.96+280621.6
Artist's impression of a galaxy undergoing a starburst
SBS 1415+437 is a WR galaxy located about 45 million light-years from Earth.
Artist's impression of gas fueling distant starburst galaxies
In NGC 3125 unusually high numbers of new stars forming occurs.
Starburst galaxy MCG+07-33-027.
J125013.50+073441.5 taken by Hubble as part of a study named LARS (Lyman Alpha Reference Sample)
Starburst activity in the central region of nearby dwarf galaxy NGC 1569 (Arp 210). Taken by Hubble Space Telescope.
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