Using a Quasar to Probe a Galaxy's Halo | ESA Hubble Space Telescope Science Full HD

As light from a distant quasar passes through a galaxy's halo, gas in the halo absorbs certain frequencies, making it possible to study this region in detail. The Hubble Space Telescope's Cosmic Origins Spectrograph (COS) is one such tool for examining the halo region around other galaxies.

Using Hubble, astronomers have shown that bursts of star formation can have a major impact far beyond the visible boundaries of a galaxy. Intense star formation can affect halo gasses at distances of twenty times greater than the visible size of the galaxy - possibly altering the evolution of the galaxy itself.

Please rate and comment, thanks!
Credits: ESA, NASA, L. Calçada