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Scientists May Have Discovered a Massive Starless Galaxy
Researchers have identified AGC 322753, a candidate for an unusually massive dark or “almost dark” galaxy: it contains a vast amount of hydrogen but has no visible stars. Confirming its nature could help explain why some dark matter haloes form stars while others do not, and test models of how galaxies develop.
The team found the object by comparing radio observations from the Arecibo Observatory and China’s FAST telescope. It holds about two billion solar masses of hydrogen, and radio signals suggest the gas may be rotating, which current models do not expect for dark galaxies. The researchers estimate it has at least 40 times more mass in hydrogen than in stars, but say follow-up observations are needed to establish whether it is truly starless or contains stars too faint to detect.
In short
- AGC 322753 contains about two billion solar masses of hydrogen.
- It has no stars visible in deep optical images.
- Further observations must confirm whether it is dark or almost dark.
Explained simply
Galaxies are usually made up of stars, gas and dark matter, the unseen material whose gravity helps hold them together. Hydrogen gas is the raw material from which stars can form, so a galaxy rich in hydrogen but apparently without stars would be unusual.
Astronomers use radio telescopes to detect hydrogen that cannot be seen in ordinary images of stars. AGC 322753 was identified by comparing observations from the Arecibo Observatory and China’s FAST telescope; the measurements suggest its gas may be rotating.
Researchers are checking whether the object is genuinely starless or whether it contains stars too faint to detect. If confirmed, it could help explain why some dark matter haloes form stars while others do not, and test ideas about how galaxies develop.
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