Explore the NGC 3640 Galaxy Group | European Southern Observatory
This video takes you to NGC 3640, an elliptical galaxy located 88 million years away in the constellation of Leo (the lion). A galaxy’s past shapes its present, and for NGC 3640 that does not just refer to its unusual deformity, but also the clusters of stars within. Analysis of these clusters, containing a portion of the galaxy’s first-born stars, reveals a violent history of swallowing other galaxies. Fortunately for the smaller galaxy below, NGC 3641 shows no signs of deformity, suggesting NGC 3640 is just far enough away to spare its little companion the same fate.
The Very Large Survey Telescope (VST) has captured here an entire zoo of galaxies, filling the empty void of space. At the center of this varied and colorful collection, is elliptical galaxy NGC 3640, situated just above its smaller galactic neighbor NGC 3641. Astronomers are especially interested in the way these two interact with each other, studying their joint history through their populations of ancient clusters of stars.
Distance: 88 million light-years
Throughout their extremely long lifetime, galaxies change. As they soar through space, they may steal gas and stars from other galaxies, or even engulf and merge with them. After these events, galaxies can become distorted, as exemplified by the misshaped NGC 3640 and the diffuse light around it. The galaxy is then left with ‘scars’ that hint at a violent past. Astronomers can use these to know its past and present history.
To trace the history behind this galaxy and its smaller companion, a team of astronomers at the Italian National Institute for Astrophysics used the VST to analyze their globular clusters, spherical and compact aggregations of stars bound by gravity. These usually contain examples of the first stars created within a galaxy and can therefore act as fossil markers, revealing the galaxy’s history, even after merging events.
The results confirm that NGC 3640 has engulfed other galaxies before, an ominous sign for the smaller galaxy now in its path, NGC 3641. Yet, this small galactic underdog shows a distinct lack of distortions in its shape or the globular clusters within. This suggests that their interaction, while fast, is not happening close enough for NGC 3640 to pose a threat. NGC 3641 might be safe . . . for now.
Credits: European Southern Observatory (ESO) / INAF / M. Mirabile et al. / R. Ragusa et al.
Script: A. Izquierdo Lopez
Editing: M. Martins
Duration: 1 minute
Release Date: Feb. 21, 2025
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