Galaxy Classification The Categories Stellar systems Stellar Clusters Galaxies Galaxy Groups and Clusters Galaxy Superclusters The Universe Galaxies are classified by their appearance Spiral Central roundish bulge plus disk Barred Spiral Central elongated bulge plus disk Elliptical Elongated bulge, no disk Irregular No discernible shape

Spiral Galaxies Pinwheel-like Central Bulge, spiral arms Spiral arms, etc., signs of rotation Young and old stars, gas, dust 80% of large galaxies are Spirals or Barred Spirals Classified by amount of arms, and how tight or loose they are S0 - no distinguishable spiral arms Sa, Sb, Sc, Sd - more spiral arms, and looser

S0 Central Bulge Disk No Spiral Arms

Sa Central Bulge Disk Tight spiral arms

Sb Central Bulge Disk Spiral arms

Sc Central Bulge Disk Loose spiral arms

Sd Central Bulge Disk Very loose spiral arms

Barred Spirals Like Spirals, but bulge is oblong Central bulge, spiral arms Spiral arms, etc., signs of rotation Young and old stars, gas, dust Classified by amount of arms, and how tight or loose they are SB0 - no distinguishable spiral arms SBa, SBb, SBc, SBd - more spiral arms, and looser Milky Way is probably barred spiral SBb

SB0 Central Bar Disk No spiral arms

SBa Central Bulge Disk Tight spiral arms

SBb Central Bar Disk Spiral arms Milky Way?

SBc Central Bar Disk Looser spiral arms

SBd Central Bar Disk Very loose spiral arms

Q. 93: Only Old Stars in Elliptical Galaxies Look like a sphere or a flattened sphere Little gas and dust Mostly old stars Classified by how round they look E0 looks circular E7 is very elongated Elliptical galaxies have the largest range of masses Dwarf Spheroidal are the smallest Giant Ellipticals are the largest Q. 93: Only Old Stars in Elliptical Galaxies

E0

E1

E2

E3

E4

E5

E6

E7

Elliptical Galaxy Shapes Appearance may depend on angle of view Amount of flattening probably has to do with rotation

Irregular Galaxies Gas, dust, young and old stars Like a galactic disk, no spirals, a mess Classified as Irr

Hubble’s Tuning Fork S0 - Sa - Sb - Sc - Sd E0-E1-E2-E3-E4-E5-E6-E7 Spirals, Barred Spirals, and Ellipticals fit together in a pattern called the Tuning Fork Diagram S0 - Sa - Sb - Sc - Sd E0-E1-E2-E3-E4-E5-E6-E7 SB0-SBa-SBb-SBc-SBd

Spiral and Barred Spiral Galaxy Structure The disk The bulge The nucleus The halo Globular clusters Q. 94: Looking For Dark Matter in Spiral Galaxies

Dark Matter in Spiral Galaxies Spirals Rotate Rotation measured by Doppler shift Mass, again, not concentrated in the center 85% of mass is dark matter Flat rotation curves  dark matter

Elliptical Galaxy Structure The visible part The nucleus The halo Globular clusters

Elliptical Halos Elliptical galaxies don’t have thick clouds, but they do have diffuse, hot gas These gasses emit X-rays Gravity vs. pressure – they expand to make a giant sphere Amount of gravity tells us 85% of the mass of the galaxy is dark matter in the halo

Can we explain these differences? Differences - Spirals vs. Ellipticals Spirals have disks and spiral structure Spirals have dust/gas/young stars in the disk Ellipticals have hot gas spread out through a large halo Can we explain these differences?

Hot Gas Vs. Cool Gas Hot gas has low density Low density gas cools slowly Will not cool off in age of universe Hot gas has pressure: Gravity vs. pressure = sphere An elliptical galaxy Cool gas has high density High density gas cools more quickly Can cool off further in short time Cool gas has little pressure, but still has rotation Gravity vs. rotation = disk A spiral (or barred spiral) galaxy

What Determines Galaxy Type? If we have a source of cool gas: Gas will form a disk Disk will form stars There will be young stars If all gas is hot: Gas remains in a giant halo, no disk No star formation No young stars Conclusion: If you have a source of cool gas, you get a spiral or barred spiral, otherwise get elliptical

Q. 95: The Most Damaging Galaxy Collisions Why They Matter When two galaxies collide or nearly collide, they can affect each other The stars themselves do not collide – they are too far apart Clouds of gas can collide Bursts of star formation Gas can get fed to the center (nucleus) of the galaxy Gas can be heated The gravity from each galaxy affects the other May distort the shape of the two galaxies Galaxies may merge Q. 95: The Most Damaging Galaxy Collisions

Near Misses As they pass near each other, the gravity of each distorts the other The slower they pass, the bigger the effect If unequal in size, smaller galaxy is affected most There is “tidal friction” which slows down the motion of the two galaxies Over time, the two galaxies will move closer and closer with each pass Eventually, a true collision will occur

Galaxy Collisions What happens depends on relative size of the two galaxies Big + Small: Small galaxy is completely disrupted Stars slowly absorbed to larger galaxy This is currently happening to our own galaxy Sagittarius Dwarf and Canis Major Dwarf - currently getting eaten Virgo Stellar Stream – Former galaxy being digested Two Equal sized galaxies: Resultant galaxy will be irregular, initially Gas will get heated by collision – depending on speed Galaxies will settle into elliptical or spiral

Colliding Galaxies

Colliding Galaxies

Colliding Galaxies MW - Andromeda Collision

Colliding Galaxies