Universe’s Most Luminous Galaxy

[seasmith]

http://cdn.sci-news.com/images/enlarge5 ... 6-0526.jpg
(large image)

This image, created using ALMA data, shows W2246-0526 as it syphons material away from three smaller galaxies; W2246-0526 and one of its companions are in the center, the second galaxy is above them and the third is to the lower left. Image credit: ALMA / ESO / NAOJ / NRAO / S. Dagnello / AUI / NSF.

(W2246-0526 for short), the most luminous galaxy ever discovered, is accreting (eating) at least three of its smaller neighbors, according to a study led by Dr. Tanio Diaz-Santos of the Universidad Diego Portales, Chile.
[accretion- n. Growth or increase in size by gradual external addition, fusion, or inclusion.]
... Much of the dust and gas being siphoned away from the three smaller galaxies is likely being converted into new stars and feeding the larger galaxy’s central black hole.

So it is "syphoning", "eating" and "accreting" its surroundings ??
Are these astro-wizards envisioning huge invisible soda straws in space ? A giant beastly aphid sucking the sustenance out of its neighbors ?

Aren't they the least bit curious about the apparent connections between the luminous objects ?
They must be just gob-smacked at the sight of a plasma lamp ...


http://www.sci-news.com/astronomy/unive ... 06619.html

[neilwilkes]

The way that they just assume the central object is "sucking up" the outer ones is mind blowing, as it does not seem to have occurred to them that the outer objects have probably been ejected from the central Galaxy.....
See Arp et al.

[neilwilkes]

The way that they just assume the central object is "sucking up" the outer ones is mind blowing, as it does not seem to have occurred to them that the outer objects have probably been ejected from the central Galaxy.....
See Arp et al.