An almost head-on collision as the origin of two off-centre rings in the Andromeda galaxy

D. L. Block (), F. Bournaud, F. Combes, R. Groess, P. Barmby, M. L. N. Ashby, G. G. Fazio, M. A. Pahre and S. P. Willner
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D. L. Block: School of Computational and Applied Mathematics, University of the Witwatersrand
F. Bournaud: Observatoire de Paris, LERMA
F. Combes: Observatoire de Paris, LERMA
R. Groess: School of Computational and Applied Mathematics, University of the Witwatersrand
P. Barmby: Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
M. L. N. Ashby: Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
G. G. Fazio: Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
M. A. Pahre: Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
S. P. Willner: Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics

Nature, 2006, vol. 443, issue 7113, 832-834

Abstract: Galaxies go head-to-head The Andromeda galaxy (Messier 31) is big in galaxy evolution studies, since it is the nearest giant spiral galaxy, and one of the largest in the Local Group. It also looks odd, and its appearance has long puzzled astronomers. It has a well known outer ring offset from the galactic nucleus, and the outer disk is warped. Now an offset inner dust ring has been discovered in infrared images from the Spitzer Space Telescope. Numerical simulations indicate that both rings formed when a companion galaxy plunged almost head-on through the disk of M31. The most likely interloper is the dwarf galaxy M32.

Date: 2006
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DOI: 10.1038/nature05184

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