NASA‘s Hubble Space Telescope has captured a dramatic cosmic event as the Milky Way galaxy interacts with the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), a dwarf galaxy passing through its outer regions. Dubbed a “giant hairdryer” by scientists, the Milky Way’s immense gravitational and environmental forces have stripped much of the LMC’s gaseous halo, leaving behind a compact remnant.
Andrew Fox, the principal investigator from the European Space Agency, explained:
“The Milky Way is pushing back so forcefully that the ram pressure has stripped off most of the original mass of the LMC’s halo. There’s only a little bit left, and it’s this small, compact leftover that we’re seeing now.”
Science Behind the Stripping
The phenomenon, known as ram pressure, occurs as the dense environment of the Milky Way exerts immense force on the LMC, blowing away its gas halo and creating a comet-like trail of material. Over time, this stripped gas will slow down and eventually integrate into the Milky Way.
Despite losing much of its halo, the LMC remains resilient. It retains enough gas to continue forming new stars, earning it the title of a “survivor.” According to Fox:
“Even though it’s lost a lot of its gas, it’s got enough left to keep forming new stars. A smaller galaxy wouldn’t have survived – there would only be a collection of aging red stars.”
The LMC, about 10% the mass of the Milky Way, is significantly larger than most dwarf galaxies, giving it the gravitational strength to hold onto some of its gas and sustain star formation.
As the LMC continues its journey, it offers a unique glimpse into the dynamics of galactic interactions, showcasing how smaller galaxies endure and evolve under the influence of larger neighbors like the Milky Way.