Barred galaxy simulation (VIDEO)

University of Texas at Austin

Caption

This simulation shows both how stellar bars form (left) and the bar-driven gas inflows (right). Stellar bars play an important role in galaxy evolution by funneling gas into the central regions of a galaxy, where it is rapidly converted into new stars, at a rate typically 10 to 100 times as fast as the rate in the rest of the galaxy. Bars also indirectly help to grow supermassive black holes in the centers of galaxies by channeling the gas part of the way.

Credit

Francoise Combes, Paris Observatory

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