Starburst Galaxy

Starburst galaxies are cosmic powerhouses experiencing explosive episodes of star formation at rates 100-1,000 times greater than typical galaxies like our Milky Way. While normal galaxies form 1-3 solar masses worth of new stars annually, starburst galaxies can forge 100-1,000 solar masses per year, rapidly depleting their gas reserves in just 10-100 million years—a blink of an eye in cosmic terms.</p><p>These stellar factories shine brilliantly in infrared light as dust absorbs intense ultraviolet radiation from young, massive stars and re-emits it as heat. The phenomenon often results from galactic collisions or mergers that compress gas clouds, triggering runaway star formation. Classic examples include M82 (the "Cigar Galaxy"), located 12 million light-years away and producing stars ten times faster than the Milky Way, and the Antennae Galaxies, two spiral galaxies locked in a spectacular merger dance.</p><p>First systematically studied in the 1960s through infrared observations, starburst galaxies represent crucial laboratories for understanding galaxy evolution, stellar feedback processes, and the formation of globular clusters. They may mirror conditions in the early universe when cosmic star formation peaked around 10 billion years ago. These galactic furnaces also enrich the universe with heavy elements through supernova explosions, making them fundamental drivers of cosmic chemical evolution.