On August 29, a group of astronomers from Christ University in Bangalore, India, were pleasantly surprised when they stumbled upon a new Ring Galaxy named DES J024008.08-551047.5 during their analysis of data from the Dark Energy Camera Legacy Survey (DECaLS).This discovery hints at the possibility that this galaxy could belong to the rather rare category of polar ring galaxies (PRGs).
These PRGs are unique systems that consist of an S0-like galaxy along with a polar ring, maintaining their separation for billions of years. Typically, these outer polar rings, comprised of gas and stars, align themselves at a nearly perpendicular angle to the central host galaxy's major axis.
Despite the existence of over 400 potential PRG candidates, only a few dozen have been definitively confirmed as true polar ring galaxies through follow-up spectroscopic observations.
Now, under the leadership of Akhil Krishna, a team of astronomers has identified another potential PRG candidate in DES J024008.08-551047.5, or DJ0240 for short. This discovery emerged while visually inspecting optical imaging data from DECaLS.
"We suggest the ringed galaxy DJ0240 is a highly promising candidate for inclusion in the PRG catalog. However, further investigation is necessary to confirm its classification as a PRG, particularly through spectroscopic observations to analyze the kinematic properties of both the host galaxy and the polar structure" the researchers explained in their paper.
Their study unveiled that DJ0240 possesses a ring that is almost at a right angle to the host galaxy. The ring's position angle is around 80 degrees, while the host's position angle is approximately 10 degrees, indicating that these two components are nearly orthogonal. DJ0240 is estimated to be about 1.8 billion light years away.
Upon closer examination of the images, the team noted that the ring is three times more extensive than the host galaxy, which comprises a bulge and a disk. Interestingly, the ring appeared bluer than the host, a characteristic commonly observed in known PRGs. According to the authors of the study, this bluish hue in PRG rings suggests a higher level of ongoing star formation activity within these structures.
Additionally, the researchers found that DJ0240's ring has a relatively small Sersic index, further supporting its classification as a PRG. They also mentioned that the effective radii of the galaxy's components are similar to those of other PRGs.
In summary, the astronomers believe that DJ0240 is very likely a PRG, ruling out the possibility that the host galaxy is of the lenticular type. Nevertheless, they stress the need for further investigations, particularly through spectroscopic observations to analyze the kinematic properties of both the host galaxy and the polar structure before drawing definitive conclusions.
So, in more casual terms, a team of astronomers in India found a cool new galaxy, DJ0240, while studying some space photos. This galaxy might belong to a rare group called polar ring galaxies, which are like cosmic hula hoops around a central galaxy. While there are lots of candidates for these galaxies, only a few are confirmed. DJ0240 has a ring that sticks out sideways from its center, which is quite unusual. It's bluer than its center, suggesting lots of new stars are forming there. All signs point to DJ0240 being a polar ring galaxy, but more research is needed to be sure.
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