‘Peekaboo’ Galaxy!
Recommended for Preparatory Grades
Astronomers had been looking for the Peekaboo galaxy for more than 20 years. Now, they have finally found it.
It is also called HIPASS J1131-31, but because of its elusive nature scientists fondly called it “Peekaboo”. It is about 22 million light-years away. In addition, it’s tiny and a bright star in the Milky Way blocks its vision.
Scientists discovered “Peekaboo” through a cooperative effort of space and ground-based telescopes. The observations were a combination of optical, radio and optical spectroscopy using some of the best-known space telescopes.
These observations helped the researchers determine that there were nearly 60 individual stars in the Peekaboo region. Furthermore, the telescopes also assisted them in determining the composition of the stars.
Key facts!
- According to astronomers, “Discovering the Peekaboo Galaxy is like discovering a direct window into the past.”
- It enables them to study its extreme environment and stars at a level of detail that is inaccessible in the distant, early Universe.
- As there is an overwhelming quantity of matter spread across the cosmos, it is not uncommon for more nearby things to be obscured by those further away in space.
- Observations in the ultraviolet spectrum showed that Peekaboo is a type of galaxy known as a compact blue dwarf galaxy.
- This type of galaxy is a small galaxy that is experiencing an explosion in the birth of young stars, the brightest of which appear blue.
- In addition, the amount of metals in Peekaboo is astonishingly low.
- In general, the metallicity of an object can be used to determine when it formed in the universe.
- Thus more recent objects have a higher content of heavy elements in their makeup.
- This is due to the fact that there wasn’t a lot of metal floating around in the universe when it was just starting off.
- The researchers aspire to compile a more detailed catalogue of the galaxy’s chemical composition.
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Watch a video
Youtube user “Cool Cape Carnival” walks us around the South African Large Telescope that was used in the discovery of the Peekaboo Galaxy.
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