NASA's Hubble Space Telescope discovered yet another galaxy; this time, an isolated dwarf galaxy known as UCG 4879 with a façade more different than the galaxies known to man.
These types of galaxies are smaller and irregular in nature, according to NASA and ESA. Due to its smaller nature, the façade appears a bit different than the existing galaxies.
"Galaxies of this type are a little smaller and messier than their cosmic cousins, lacking the majestic swirl of a spiral or the coherence of an elliptical," said NASA and ESA in a joint statement published by TechTimes.
The isolated galaxy is about 2.3 million light-years away. This means that the new galaxy has not interacted with any other surrounding galaxies, free from outside factors. This made it an ideal model for studying star formation, according to a press release by NASA.
Based on the findings, NASA believes that the UGC 4879 galaxy formed a huge amount of stars in the first four billion years after the Big Bang. Then it was followed by a mysterious 9-billion years of silence in star formation and then proceeded to re-ignite. This anomalous behavior, which astronomers are yet to explain, is important for understanding the mysteries of star formation and birth in the universe.
NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, launched in 1990 has made over 1.2 million observations since its launch, according to NASA. And is still largely contributing to the further understanding of the universe. The telescope manages to study stars and galaxies, while it whirls around the Earth at 17,000 mph. It is considered one of the most advanced observatories of the agency since it uses a different technique to change angles, thrusters-free. It also boasts of its .0007 pointing accuracy, which according to NASA, is the same as pointing a laser beam on a dime 200 miles away.