Galaxy had a Peter Crouch-like growth spurt
Space boffins have discovered a massive galaxy which they say had a "teenage growth spurt" and ended up as the "galactic equivalent of Peter Crouch".Researchers from Durham University found that the early galaxy created stars like our sun up to 100 times faster than the modern-day Milky Way.
The catchily titled SMM J2135-0102 galaxy was observed as it would have appeared 10 billion years ago – just three billion years after the Big Bang.
Dr Mark Swinbank thinks the findings suggest that star formation was more rapid and vigorous in the early Universe as galaxies went through periods of huge growth.
The scientists estimate that the observed galaxy is producing stars at a rate equivalent to 250 per year -- putting it on a par with Simon Cowell.
Dr Swinbank, of the Institute for Computational Cosmology, said: "This galaxy is like a teenager going through a growth spurt. If you could see it today as an adult you’d find the galactic equivalent of the football player Peter Crouch.
"We don’t fully understand why the stars are forming so rapidly but our results suggest that stars formed much more efficiently in the early Universe than they do today.
"Galaxies in the early Universe appear to have gone through rapid growth and stars like our sun formed much more quickly than they do today."
LINKS
Durham University
"We don’t fully understand why the stars are forming so rapidly but our results suggest that stars formed much more efficiently in the early Universe than they do today.
"Galaxies in the early Universe appear to have gone through rapid growth and stars like our sun formed much more quickly than they do today."
LINKS
Durham University
