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Cavendish Astrophysics

 
Discovery of Stars Forming in Galactic Winds

A group of astronomers, led by Roberto Maiolino, has discovered the formation of stars in the fast winds expelled by a galaxy and most likely driven by a supermassive black hole.

This is a completely new mode of star formation in which stars form at high speed, and may even escape the galaxy. This mode of star formation could have major implications for the formation and evolution of galaxies. 

Please, read the full ESO press release at:

http://www.eso.org/public/unitedkingdom/news/eso1710/

The results have been published in the following research paper in Nature: 

http://www.eso.org/public/archives/releases/sciencepapers/eso1710/eso1710a.pdf

Discovery of Stars Forming in Galactic Winds

Artist’s impression of a galaxy forming stars within powerful outflows of material blasted out from supermassive black holes at its core. Results from ESO’s Very Large Telescope are the first confirmed observations of stars forming in this kind of extreme environment. The discovery has many consequences for understanding galaxy properties and evolution.

Credit: ESO/M. Kornmesser