A Journey to the Closest Galaxies [Space Documentary]

Kosmo DOC50 minutes read

The text explores the vastness of the universe, detailing the formation and characteristics of galaxies like the Milky Way, Andromeda, and the Triangulum Galaxy, while also discussing intergalactic space, dark flow anomalies, and the composition of the universe. It delves into the complexity of celestial bodies, stellar formations, and large-scale structures, raising questions about cosmological principles and the universe's composition beyond the cosmic horizon.

Insights

  • The Milky Way is an ancient galaxy with over 200 billion stars, including a supermassive black hole at its center, surrounded by various components like thin and thick discs, spiral arms, and a halo containing globular clusters and dark matter.
  • Intergalactic space, rich in various elements and matter, plays a crucial role in the universe's evolution, hosting intergalactic stars, gas clouds, and dust that impact stellar formations, distance estimations, and galaxy shapes, influencing the gravitational pull of galaxies and challenging traditional cosmological principles.

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Recent questions

  • What is the Milky Way galaxy?

    A galaxy with billions of stars and dark matter.

  • What is intergalactic space composed of?

    Heavier elements like carbon, oxygen, and metals.

  • What are some galaxies near the Milky Way?

    Andromeda, Triangulum, and IC10 galaxies.

  • What is the dark flow anomaly?

    An anomaly challenging cosmological principles.

  • What is the Virgo Supercluster?

    A vast structure of over 30,000 galaxies.

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Summary

00:00

"Exploring Galaxies: From Milky Way to Abyss"

  • The universe is home to numerous galaxies, each unique in appearance and properties, with some formed billions of years ago and others still in the process of formation.
  • Starting from the Milky Way, our journey explores its stellar arms, nebulae, and then ventures into intergalactic space, reaching nearby galaxies like Andromeda and the Magellanic Clouds.
  • Further into the cosmos, we encounter extraordinary galaxies and explore the dark flow crossing the universe, leading to uncharted expanses and an abyss beyond the observable universe.
  • Modern telescopes allow us to see objects billions of light years away, yet interstellar travel remains a dream, but exploring distant galaxies is possible in games like Star Trek Fleet Command.
  • The Milky Way, initially thought to be a path of gods, is actually the light of billions of stars too remote to distinguish individually, with the concept of galaxies first suggested by Emanuel Kant in 1755.
  • The Milky Way is an old galaxy with stars born around 13 billion years ago, containing over 200 billion stars, brown dwarves, planets, and a significant amount of dark matter.
  • The galaxy's center houses a supermassive black hole, Sagittarius A*, surrounded by stars and massive clouds of gas and dust, with the first image captured in 2022 confirming earlier hypotheses.
  • Moving away from the center, the galactic disc consists of a thin and thick disc, formed from the merger with a hypothetical galaxy, Gaia-Enceladus, billions of years ago.
  • The spiral arms of the Milky Way, like the Scutum-Centaurus and Perseus arms, are areas of high star count and interstellar gas concentration, fostering increased star formation.
  • Beyond the disc lies the halo, a vast and rarified component containing globular clusters, old stars, and dark matter, with the dark halo contributing to the galaxy's overall stability.

18:24

"Intergalactic Space: Elements, Stars, and Evolution"

  • Intergalactic space contains heavier elements like carbon, oxygen, and silicon, with gas clouds varying in density and temperature.
  • Gas composition in intergalactic space includes hydrogen, helium, carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, sulfur, and various metals, feeding stellar formations.
  • Intergalactic stars, like rogue stars, exist in significant numbers, with around 650 identified in the Milky Way alone.
  • Intergalactic matter, mostly invisible, was discovered by chance through observations of quasars in the 1960s.
  • Intergalactic gas plays a crucial role in the universe's evolution, being influenced by galaxies' gravitational pull.
  • Stellar wind carries matter from stars to intergalactic space, contributing to star formation in other galaxies.
  • Intergalactic dust affects distance estimations in intergalactic observations, forming nebuli and impacting galaxy shapes.
  • Intergalactic stars, often binary systems, emit x-rays due to matter accretion, challenging detection with regular telescopes.
  • The Local Group, including the Milky Way, Andromeda, and Triangulum galaxies, forms part of the larger Virgo Supercluster.
  • Andromeda, a spiral galaxy, is a close neighbor to the Milky Way, with a similar mass and unique features like a binary core.

36:05

Galaxies and Clusters in the Universe

  • The Triangulum Galaxy is approximately 50,000 light years in diameter.
  • The distance between the Triangulum Galaxy and the Milky Way is 2.7 to 3 million light years.
  • The NGC 604 nebula in the Triangulum Galaxy is the largest known area where stars are actively born, with a diameter of 1,300 light years.
  • Around 200 super Giants with a total mass of 100,000 solar masses are compactly grouped in the NGC 604 nebula.
  • The Galaxy IC10, located 2.2 million light years away from the Sun, is the only galaxy in the local group where stars are actively born.
  • The Galaxy IC10 is shrouded in a hydrogen outer envelope with a larger radius than the Galaxy itself.
  • The Galaxy M86 in the Virgo cluster, 52 million light years away from the Sun, is moving towards the Milky Way at a speed of around 244 km/s.
  • M86 is connected with the almost destroyed spiral galaxy NGC 4438, with several filaments indicating a past collision.
  • M86 contains over 3,800 globular clusters, suggesting absorption of dwarf galaxies in the past.
  • The Sombrero Galaxy, M104, located 30 million light years away from the Sun, has a massive ring of dust and cold hydrogen where most young stars are born.

53:20

"Challenging Universe Theories: Dark Flow Anomaly"

  • The dark flow anomaly challenges the hierarchical universe theory, suggesting large structures like galaxies didn't evolve as expected.
  • Large-scale structures like the Large Quasar Group, Sloan Great Wall, and Hercules Corona Borealis Great Wall exceed estimated sizes, questioning cosmological principles.
  • The dark flow's existence prompts new hypotheses about the universe's composition and motion, potentially indicating irregular structures beyond the cosmic horizon.
  • The solar system, with Neptune as the farthest known planet, contains over a million celestial bodies, including asteroids and comets.
  • The Orion Arm, part of the Milky Way, hosts diverse stars, with potential life-sustaining planets like GLA 832c.
  • The Milky Way, part of the Local Group, is within the Virgo Supercluster, a vast structure of over 30,000 galaxies.
  • The Virgo Supercluster is part of the Laniakea Supercluster, a massive formation including the Great Attractor, influencing nearby objects gravitationally.
  • The universe's large-scale structure includes Galactic filaments, walls, and voids, with structures like the Hercules Corona Borealis Great Wall spanning 10 billion light years, challenging accepted theories.
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