Space/Science » in reply to Elementary my dear Watson...er.. Vince

Re: Wrong elementary school of thought, Tech1 . . .

D. Spires — 2/8/2002 12:51:01 PM (archived)

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Astronomers are puzzled by the clockwise rotation because of the direction the outer spiral arms are pointing. Most spiral galaxies have arms of gas and stars that trail behind as they turn. But this galaxy has two "leading" outer arms that point toward the direction of the galaxy's clockwise rotation. To add to the conundrum, NGC 4622 also has a "trailing" inner arm that is wrapped around the galaxy in the opposite direction it is rotating. Based on galaxy simulations, a team of astronomers had expected that the galaxy was turning counterclockwise. (More)
Photo Credit: STScI.

So, the issue is not so much the direction of the rotation, as it is the direction of rotation relative to the spiral appearance of the galaxy's arms.

Example.

Dan

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The whole thread (26 posts)

• Thoughts on why spiral galaxy NGC 4622 has a "reverse" spin. - Vince - 2/8/2002 4:40:05 PM
  • Re: Thoughts on why spiral galaxy NGC 4622 has a - Raoul - 2/8/2002 5:37:24 PM
    • Re: 50 turns . . . - D. Spires - 2/8/2002 6:31:41 PM
      • NGC 622 - Marcia - 2/8/2002 7:43:54 PM
        • Re: Thank you, Marcia . . . (n/t) (n/t) - D. Spires - 2/8/2002 9:06:15 AM
  • I saw the article and frankly, I don't have a clue - Larry J - 2/8/2002 5:13:02 PM
    • I don't have a clue - Tom Brosz - 2/8/2002 7:04:03 PM
      • Could they have the slide in backwards? - Larry J - 2/8/2002 7:14:20 PM
        • Re: The way I understood it was like this . . . - D. Spires - 2/8/2002 9:49:52 AM
  • Elementary my dear Watson...er.. Vince - SDAI-Tech1 - 2/8/2002 12:15:24 PM
    • Ok, I'll ask - SDG - 2/8/2002 12:57:23 PM
      • Re: Ok, I'll ask - Delbert - 2/8/2002 1:41:33 PM
    • Re: Wrong elementary school of thought, Tech1 . . . - D. Spires - 2/8/2002 12:51:01 PM
      • Ok, now don't forget to nominate me for the Nobel ;-) - SDAI-Tech1 - 2/8/2002 7:28:10 PM
        • A few questions... - ectoterrestrial - 2/9/2002 10:52:53 AM
          • ...easier to read ;-) - SDAI-Tech1 - 2/10/2002 9:58:41 AM
          • Good questions.... - SDAI-Tech1 - 2/10/2002 9:54:35 AM
          • Re: Basking in your glory . . . - D. Spires - 2/9/2002 9:07:38 AM
            • Thank you... oh sarcastic one! ;-) - SDAI-Tech1 - 2/10/2002 10:20:08 AM
            • Re: Oh, that was for Tech1 -- sorry . . . (n/t) (n/t) - D. Spires - 2/9/2002 9:08:38 AM
        • Re: Grmphhhh - Raoul - 2/9/2002 9:38:52 AM
          • Le vrai n'est pas toujours vraisemblable... - SDAI-Tech1 - 2/10/2002 8:38:19 PM
            • The Marque de SDAI - Le ectoterrestrial - 2/10/2002 10:10:43 AM
              • Ok, I'm a bad person..... - ectoterrestrial - 2/10/2002 11:30:34 AM
                • Don't worry ECTO...you're not. - SDAI-Tech1 - 2/10/2002 2:47:01 PM
      • Re: The more I look at it . . . - D. Spires - 2/8/2002 1:05:06 PM