Astrophysicists have spotted the first blow-away galaxy

Astrophysicists using the Gemini telescope have spotted the first blow-away galaxy, in which the hydrogen clouds have been stripped off exposing high-energy light.

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This finding could give a clue to solving the puzzle of the reionisation of the universe. The galaxy, named Pox 186, is so small that it could fit inside the Milky Way.

The researchers suspect that its compact size, coupled with its large population of stars – which amount to a hundred thousand times the mass of the sun – made the blow-away possible.

The Gemini Observatory is an astronomical observatory consisting of two 8.1-metre telescopes, Gemini North and Gemini South, which are located at two separate sites in Hawaii and Chile, respectively. The twin Gemini telescopes provide almost complete coverage of both the northern and southern skies

They are currently among the largest and most advanced optical/infrared telescopes available to astronomers.