Gigantic fireball spotted on galactic rampage

Quote:

Astronomers have identified a massive comet-like structure - spanning a whopping three million light years - that is tearing through a distant galaxy cluster at more than 750 kilometres a second.

Yes, you read that right. A great ball of fiery gas*, some five thousand million times the size of the solar system. Fortunately, it isn't anywhere near Earth. The flaming gas-ball is in the Abell 3266 galaxy cluster, even more millions of light years away from us than it is across.

The fireball, which is the largest object of this kind ever identified, was spotted by stargazers using the European Space Agency's XMM-Newton X-Ray telescope.

The researchers have produced an entropy map of the gas-ball, which allows them to pick out the relatively cold dense gas of the comet from the hotter gas of the galaxy cluster. Analysis of the data has revealed remarkable detail of the stripping of gas from the comet's core, ESA says, at a rate of about a Sun's mass, every hour.

The scientists who discovered the object describe it as "truly fantastic".
"In Abell 3266 we are seeing structure formation in action," said Professor Mark Henriksen, co-author of the results. "Dark matter is the gravitational glue holding the gas ball together. But as it races through the galaxy cluster, a tug-of-war ensues where the galaxy cluster eventually wins, stripping off and dispersing gas that perhaps one day will seed star and galaxy growth within the cluster."

Zurich-based researcher Dr. Francesco Miniati commented: "What interests astronomers is not just the size of the gas ball but the role it plays in the formation and evolution of structure in the universe."


Source

Holy grandmother on a stick, I never knew this was even possible. Seems we still have alot to learn cause this thing is motherfucking HUGE. Is there anyone on the forum studying the mysteries of the cosmos by coincidence? I'd love to know the reason how this monstrous creation was ever made cause the closest thing I can come up with is a super nova, but I'm sure even that isn't as large as this one right? I guess this is a good example of showing how unbelievably huge the universe really is.

If we ever get to explore space personally and have the power of faster than light travel, then I wonder how we're going to defend against a phenomena like this cause it has the power to wipe the universe clean with ease. With those lightdrives we will be able to outrun it ofcourse but moving all the time would be crazy if this phenomena occurs quite frequently, not to mention time of travel it would cost to just get out of the way.
It would be fun if this would turn out to be some kind of alien weapon of mass destruction


What do you think of this crazy space contraption? Discuss.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Being told to discuss a topic...how typical. ;p

That's one hella big fart someone ripped, to let that much gas out...5 billion times the size of the solar system.....that's insane.

I doubt a supernova is anywhere that size, considering a supernova is a single star going boom. If we had a few billion stars go boom all at once in the same area....maybe.

I'm just glad as all hell that this isn't headed our direction yet. No way would we have any possibility of getting out of it's way, and anarchy would ensue.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Quote:

then I wonder how we're going to defend against a phenomena like this cause it has the power to wipe the universe clean with ease.

Yes it's big, but it definitely doesn't have the size or power to wipe the universe clean. Especially not "with ease." That's a pretty crazy object though.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

This strongly makes me fantasize that someone summoned "Meteor" from another planet or something, but don't mind me

That would be pretty scary if it would eventually head for us, and we'd need some sort of global plan to brace ourselves in whatever futile way would be possible.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

An interesting little tidbit for further comparision and perspective: Wikipedia in short states that the Milky Way Galaxy ranges from 250,000-400,000 light-years in diameter. So even if we went with 400,000 that'd make this "comet-like structure" between 7-8 times greater in diameter than that of the Milky Way. That's......pretty big.

Frankly, I don't think there's really anything plausible we could do against something that enormous. But then again, even if that thing was heading straight for us, it'd take it an awful long time to get here. To give an idea of how long, the Andromeda Galaxy, estimated to be about 2.5 million light-years from here, is measured to be heading in our direction at about 300 km per second. At that speed, it's estimated to reach us in 3-4 billion years. Yes, this thing is going faster than 300km/s, but it's also "millions of light years away from us".

I was speaking idiomatically.

Originally Posted by Summonmaster

This strongly makes me fantasize that someone summoned "Meteor" from another planet or something, but don't mind me

That would be pretty scary if it would eventually head for us, and we'd need some sort of global plan to brace ourselves in whatever futile way would be possible.

It'd be millions of years before that thing hit us. But yeah, we'd be pretty fucking defenseless, unless we summon Holy (God, we're nerds).

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Lol @ Final Reality

Quote:

"Dark matter is the gravitational glue holding the gas ball together. But as it races through the galaxy cluster, a tug-of-war ensues where the galaxy cluster eventually wins, stripping off and dispersing gas that perhaps one day will seed star and galaxy growth within the cluster."

Ain't dark matter the same thing that exists in black holes? Maybe it was born from something like this.
For some reason I think this is just a small thing, maybe there are even more insane phenomena's in size to be discovered

How ya doing, buddy?

Originally Posted by ApOcaLyPSe_1985

Ain't dark matter the same thing that exists in black holes? Maybe it was born from something like this.
For some reason I think this is just a small thing, maybe there are even more insane phenomena's in size to be discovered

Dark matter is the generic name given to matter which we cannot directly detect due to it not emitting radiation. However it can be indirectly observed by the effects that it has on the surrounding matter which DOES emit radiation. Dark matter is nothing magical; it is merely generic nomenclature for what appears to be matter which we do not yet understand.
Also, I suppose since we do not truly know the properties of matter inside of black holes, we could technically say that black holes are made of dark matter; but even then it would seem to be a misuse of the term, since black holes are a unique phenomena unto themselves.

On a more topical note: despite the insane size of this celestial body, I am not too surprised by its existence. Actually, I am more surprised that it took us so long to find something like this. The universe is a huge place, after all.

It seems improbable that something like this could be held together only by gravity. It would be interesting if analysis of this phenomena showed more evidence for the potential 5th universal force, quintessence (the other 4 being:electromagnetic, strong nuclear, weak nuclear, and gravitational).

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Can't this be - in any crazy way- an observational "error" ?? Like, you know, optical errors occur especially when dealing with such immensly enormous "objects", can't this be sort of like a parallax error? (ik parallax errors are not that, but u know what i mean, they're based on something similar - i think)

I really don't know anything about astronomy so i'm not saying that's the case, im just asking if it's possible, given the sheer scale of the structure..

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Originally Posted by CryHavoc

Can't this be - in any crazy way- an observational "error" ?? Like, you know, optical errors occur especially when dealing with such immensly enormous "objects", can't this be sort of like a parallax error? (ik parallax errors are not that, but u know what i mean, they're based on something similar - i think)

I really don't know anything about astronomy so i'm not saying that's the case, im just asking if it's possible, given the sheer scale of the structure..

Even if it isn't a mistake, it's still pretty remarkable. I couldn't imagine something that big. I can barely imagine the size of the earth.

How ya doing, buddy?

Originally Posted by Taterdemalion

It'd be millions of years before that thing hit us. But yeah, we'd be pretty fucking defenseless, unless we summon Holy (God, we're nerds).

Have to build a giant solar system around it, 3 planets as a seal to contain it and a 4th that comes back every 1000 years in case it gets weak. Give some teenage girl a magic sword and call it a day.

Anyway, I'm continually fascinated by the kinds of bodies the universe constructs. Just think, the size and distance of that thing suggest it could be anywhere right now. We're only seeing it as it was millions of years ago. Hell, it might not even exist, or it might have grown exponentially since then.

Huh, I THOUGHT it was unseasonably hot today. (looks up) Aw, shit.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

That's actually Galactus on the move.

But sheeeit.. I never knew this kind of thing exists. Just like pinapple.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

This is easy to stop, we just launch a couple Xboxs at it. (Or Sass).

I like how the astronomers are saying how fantastic is it when there are aliens probably running around screaming "HOLY MOTHER OF GOD" as they are getting flattened like huge bitches RIGHT THIS MOMENT.

I was speaking idiomatically.

Originally Posted by Tills

This is easy to stop, we just launch a couple Xboxs at it. (Or Sass).

I like how the astronomers are saying how fantastic is it when there are aliens probably running around screaming "HOLY MOTHER OF GOD" as they are getting flattened like huge bitches RIGHT THIS MOMENT.

Well.. it's more like right this millions of years ago. Gotta take into account that damn slow speed light travels at. =(

Kind of confusing and mind splitting how time works in regards to things in space. Since technicly everything we see in the sky is actually from the past.. For all we know the stars we look at could already be dead. The light from them is just still coming our way.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Originally Posted by vemp

That's actually Galactus on the move.

Or rather Galactus farting.

I gotta share everyone else's reaction of 'shit the bed', though.

Originally Posted by CelticWhisper

Have to build a giant solar system around it, 3 planets as a seal to contain it and a 4th that comes back every 1000 years in case it gets weak. Give some teenage girl a magic sword and call it a day.

I'm thinking 'Magog Worldship'. Am I too far off?

If such a thing is possible, could it be a galaxy dying from the inside? Or someone pissed the Ori off.
We need the Asgard.

FELIPE NO

Shonos, yeah, I'm aware of that. I just assume though that it's still ampaging around seeing as how something that big would take a long ass time to dissipate and collapse.

Also this thread just got 100 times better for the Stargate references. Win.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Originally Posted by Tills

Also this thread just got 100 times better for the Stargate references. Win.

:D! What about the Andromeda reference?

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Remember Sephiroth's Summon: Supernova?

This is the real world equivalent, only much more fucking HUEG.
Anyone get a photo of the HUEG SPACE THING?

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Wasn't there something in FF7 like this? Shit, Sephiroth has come to claim the earth at last.

EDIT->Dark Nation got to it before me .

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Originally Posted by Elidibs

! What about the Andromeda reference?

DANIEL JACKSON > Dylan Hunt and Rommie. Sorry. ;_;

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Originally Posted by Tills

DANIEL JACKSON > Dylan Hunt and Rommie. Sorry. ;_;

*blink blink* Mehh?

Originally Posted by Elidibs

I'm thinking 'Magog Worldship'. Am I too far off?

I was speaking idiomatically.

Quote:

Fortunately, it isn't anywhere near Earth.

Isn't this quite the understatement. A huge FIREBALL of DOOM is traveling in space, undoubtedly destroying everything in its path. This sentence screams, "I'm glad it's not coming our way, but what a spectacle it would be!"

But what a way to go, huh? If it were headed our way, we could predict its arrival. Then, in the distant future, pandomonium or untold proportions would breakout. Rioting in the streets. "Every man for himself" takes hold of all but the most religious. Prayers and looting would be the most commonpractice things, save what is necessary (such as breathing or eating). See? If the author had emphasized all of this, the impact, pardon the pun, would have been far greater. But, then again, that is a bit of a tangent...

Double Post:

Quote:

Fortunately, it isn't anywhere near Earth.

I had a great deal of funny stuff to say here, but I don't feel like typing it again. To sum up my thoughts:

The statement above is a massive understatement.
I truly wonder what life would be like if we knew this thing were heading our direction.
I can't believe something that large exists.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Quote:

I truly wonder what life would be like if we knew this thing were heading our direction.

Wouldn't change at all. We'd all be dead by millions of years before it hit us.

FELIPE NO

Originally Posted by Elidibs

*blink blink* Mehh?

I am refering to the shows, sir. I like Stargate more than Andromeda, hence the whole > thing with the characters and such.

Nevermind though, I failed miserably. ;__________;

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Originally Posted by Tills

I am refering to the shows, sir. I like Stargate more than Andromeda, hence the whole > thing with the characters and such.

Nevermind though, I failed miserably. ;__________;

Indeed you did. When the Ori-Galactus fart Magog ship comes to this galaxy, it'll hit your ( possibly gravity-stretched and space-mutated ) descendants first.

Jam it back in, in the dark.