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What are Blow-Away Galaxies?

First ‘Blow-Away’ Galaxy:

Astrophysicists using the Gemini telescope have spotted the first ‘blow-away galaxy, in which the hydrogen clouds have been stripped off exposing high-energy light.

  • This finding could give a clue to solving the puzzle of the reionization of the universe.
  • The galaxy, named Pox 186, is so small that it could fit inside the Milky Way.
  • The researchers suspect that its compact size, coupled with its large population of stars — which amount to a hundred thousand times the mass of the sun — made the blow-away possible.
  • The Gemini Observatory is an astronomical observatory consisting of two 8.1-meter telescopes, Gemini North and Gemini South, which are located at two separate sites in Hawaii and Chile, respectively.
  • The twin Gemini telescopes provide almost complete coverage of both the northern and southern skies
  • They are currently among the largest and most advanced optical/infrared telescopes available to astronomers.