Credit:NASA & ESA
The drizzle of stars scattered across this image forms a
galaxy known as UGC 4879. UGC 4879 is an irregular dwarf galaxy — as the
name suggests, 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.
This
galaxy is also very isolated. There are about 2.3 million light years
between UGC 4879 and its closest neighbour, Leo A, which is about the
same distance as that between the Andromeda Galaxy and the Milky Way.
This
galaxy’s isolation means that it has not interacted with any
surrounding galaxies, making it an ideal laboratory for studying star
formation uncomplicated by interactions with other galaxies. Studies of
UGC 4879 have revealed a significant amount of star formation in the
first 4-billion-years after the Big Bang, followed by a strange
nine-billion-year lull in star formation, ended 1-billion-years ago by a
more recent reignition. The reason for this behaviour, however, remains
mysterious, and the solitary galaxy continues to provide ample study
material for astronomers looking to understand the complex mysteries of
starbirth throughout the Universe.
Source: ESA/Hubble - Space Telescope
