Bullet Galaxy

Not to be confused with Bullet Group or Bullet Cluster.

Bullet Galaxy
Observation data (J2000.0 epoch)
Right ascension	23h 59.3m
Declination	−60° 42′
Redshift	0.096
Distance	1.3  Gly (400  Mpc)
Group or cluster	ACO 4096
Other designations
Bullet Galaxy, RXC  J2359.3-6042 CC, ACO  4067 CC, Abell  4067 CC, A  4067 CC

The Bullet Galaxy (RXC J2359.3-6042 CC) is a galaxy in the galaxy cluster RXC J2359.3-6042 (Abell 4067 or ACO 4067). It is named after the Bullet Cluster. The Bullet Galaxy is a plowing into a cluster, similar to the merging events of the Bullet Cluster and the Bullet Group. Unlike those two mergers, the Bullet Galaxy's merger is between one galaxy and a galaxy cluster. The cluster merger is happening at a lower speed than the Bullet Cluster, thus allowing the core of the Bullet Galaxy to retain cool gas and remain relatively undisturbed by its passage through the larger cluster. This cluster merger is the first one observed between a single galaxy and a cluster. The galaxy and cluster lies at redshift z=0.0992, some 1.4×10⁹  ly (4.3×10⁸  pc ) away. The galaxy is traveling through the cluster at a speed of 1,310  km/s (2,900,000  mph ). ^{[1] [2] [3] [4]}

By studying this unique merging researchers can gain insight on dark matter, and how it interacts with other objects in space. According to astrophysicists James Bullock, "Galaxy clusters that are merging with each other represent interesting laboratories for this kind of question,” when he was speaking of dark matter and the Bullet cluster.

References

1. George Dvorsky (15 January 2015). "A "Bullet" Galaxy Is Piercing Through Other Galaxies At Ludicrous Speed". io9.
2. Dan Vergano (16 January 2015). "Astronomers Spy "Bullet" Galaxy Blasting Through Other Galaxies". National Geographic. Archived from the original on January 22, 2015.
3. Gayoung Chon, Hans Boehringer (10 January 2015). "Witnessing a merging bullet being stripped in the galaxy cluster, RXCJ2359.3-6042". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 574 (published February 2015): 5. arXiv: 1501.02371 . Bibcode:2015A&A...574A.132C. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201425143. S2CID   56378414. A132.
4. Marisa Lewis (15 January 2015). "'Bullet' Galaxy Hints At Proof Of Dark Matter, Will Help To Answer Questions About Mass Of Distant Galaxies [PHOTO]". KpopStarz.