供图:ESA/NASA
Warped Galaxy
A galaxy slightly smaller than our own Milky Way is getting its arm twisted, and a cosmic bully may be to blame. 有一个比我们银河系稍微小一点的星系,其旋臂正在变得扭曲,可能是受到了宇宙的欺凌而造成的。 As seen in a picture released in August by scientists with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, one of galaxy NGC 2146's arms is bent at a 45-degree angle, such that the dense limb has looped in front of the galaxy's core, as seen from Earth. 在科学家于8月份发布的一张图片中可以看到,星系NGC 2146的一条旋臂呈45度角发生弯曲,这样在地球上看去,这条高密度旋臂在该星系中心前方呈现出环状。图片是由NASA/ESA的哈勃天空望远镜拍摄的。 The most likely explanation is that the gravity of an unidentified nearby galaxy is disturbing NGC 2146's arm, causing the galaxy to warp. 对此可能性最大的解释是,附近有一个未被发现的星系,其引力正在干扰NGC 2146的这条旋臂,致使该星系发生扭曲。 Published December 1, 2011 发布于2011年12月1日。
译自:美国国家地理杂志网站
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