Apr 30, 2014 02:49 PM EDT
Star Cluster Discovered Traveling at Speeds of 2 Million MPH

A star cluster that was thrown towards Earth at speeds of more than two million miles per hour was recently discovered by astronomers.

The cluster originated in the M87 galaxy and is expected to travel the voids between galaxies and drift "endlessly" through space, according to a news release issued by Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics.

Research was published in The Astrophysical Journal this week.

The cluster was recently named HVGC-1, which stands for hypervelocity globular cluster.

These types of clusters are groupings of "thousands of stars" inside a ball of a few dozen light-years across, according to the study.

"Astronomers have found runaway stars before, but this is the first time we've found a runaway star cluster," said lead author of the study Nelson Caldwell of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics.

HVGC-1 was discovered by astronomers by using the MMT Telescope in Arizona. The astronomers spent several years studying the space around M87.

After studying the space around M87, a computer then calculated the speed of the cluster.

"We didn't expect to find anything moving that fast," said study co-author Jay Strader of Michigan State University.

Over 150 globular clusters can be found in the Milky Way Galaxy, while M87 galaxy holds "thousands," of clusters, according to the release.

HVGC-1 likely reached its current speed after passing through two black holes at the center of M87, which, acting like a slingshot, sent the cluster flying away.

See Now: OnePlus 6: How Different Will It Be From OnePlus 5?

 PREVIOUS POST
NEXT POST 

EDITOR'S PICK    

Hyundai to Invest $16.1 Billion for EV Business; Sets Annual Sales Goal of 1.87M Electric Cars by 2030

World's Most Expensive and Most Heavily-optioned Porsche 928 GTS is Coming Home to the U.S.

Major Boost as Tesla Giga Berlin Facility in Final Phase of Approval Process; Delivery Event Set This Month

Audi Looking for e-tron Electric Vehicles to Spur Car Brand's Growth in India in 2022

Toyota Offers Free EV Charging to Owners of 2023 bZ4X After Partnership Agreement with EVgo

2022 Suzuki Baleno Finally Unveiled in India: What are the Specs and Features of this City Car?