Galactic DynamoCold gas (red) flows into a spiral galaxy, feeding star formation, while intense radiation from the newborn stars generates turbulence (blue), as seen in an artist's rendering. The picture, released last week, shows a type of massive star-forming galaxy thought to have been common in the very distant, early universe.But new observations recently published in the journal Nature have revealed this type of galaxy also exists in nearby—and thus more modern—populations. The find suggests that turbulence in galaxies young and old is driven by the energy released during star formation.
Image courtesy Crain/Geach/Virgo/Green/Swinburne

Space Photos This Week: Toxic Sludge, Sun Burp, More

Hungary's spill spied from above, galaxies getting cold meals, and gases blown off the sun are among the week's best space pictures.

Published October 14, 2010