The Comet Galaxy (EQ J235144-260358) is a peculiar spiral galaxy located from Earth in the galaxy cluster Abell 2667 and the constellation Sculptor. This galaxy has slightly more stellar mass than the Milky Way. It was detected on 2 March 2007 with the Hubble Space Telescope.
The galaxy is currently traveling through the galactic cluster at 3.6 million km/h (2.17 million mi/h), and as a result is being stripped of much of its matter as a result of the cluster's tidal forces.
Structure The Comet Galaxy is a unique, peculiar galaxy that features an extended stream of interstellar gas, blue knots (or large clumps of matter), and wisps of bright-blue young stars. It is currently traveling through Abell 2667 at 3.6 million km/h (), and as a result of the gravitational forces of the cluster, much of the galaxy's matter is being stripped out into a long tail, similar to a comet; as a result, one of the galaxy's arms appears flatter then the surrounding arms, while the tail contains numerous bright starburst regions.
Its isophotal diameter is currently unknown. Based off its apparent size of for the main galaxy, along with the galaxy's distance from Earth, it approximately corresponds to a diameter of , thus making it slightly larger than the Andromeda Galaxy.
Fate The Сomet Galaxy is currently being ripped apart as a result of traveling through a large galaxy cluster at speeds of greater than 2 million mph. As the galaxy speeds through, its gas and stars are being stripped away by the tidal forces and charged particles exerted by the cluster. Also contributing to this destructive process is the pressure of the cluster's hot intergalactic gas and plasma, reaching temperatures as high as 100 million degrees. Scientists estimate that the total duration of the transformation process is close to one billion years; the galaxy is seen to be roughly 400 million years into this process.
In spite of the galaxy's large mass, the spiral will inevitably lose majority of its gas and dust, resulting in a gas-poor lenticular or elliptical galaxy with an older population of red stars. The finding sheds light on the process by which some gas-rich galaxies might evolve into gas-poor galaxies over billions of years. Observations also reveal one mechanism that may result in intergalactic stars.
See also Interacting Galaxy Antennae Galaxies (NGC 4038/4039) Condor Galaxy (NGC 6872) Malin 1 Mice Galaxies (NGC 4676) Rubin's Galaxy (UGC 2885)
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