Starburst galaxies are galaxies that are undergoing a period of intense star formation. This intense star formation is thought to be triggered by a number of factors, including interactions with other galaxies, inflows of gas from the intergalactic medium, and the presence of a large amount of molecular gas within the galaxy.
ALMA sees super stellar nurseries at heart of sculptor galaxy
A recent study using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) has revealed that the center of the Sculptor galaxy, a nearby starburst galaxy, is home to a number of super stellar nurseries. These nurseries are regions of intense star formation that are producing stars at a rate that is 10-100 times higher than the rate of star formation in the Milky Way.
The ALMA observations have also revealed that the super stellar nurseries in the Sculptor galaxy are very compact, with sizes of only a few hundred light-years. This compactness suggests that the star formation in these nurseries is occurring very rapidly, and that the nurseries are likely to be short-lived.
The observations of the super stellar nurseries in the Sculptor galaxy provide new insights into the processes that trigger and sustain starbursts in galaxies. These nurseries are thought to be the sites where the most massive stars in the galaxy are formed, and they may also play a role in regulating the rate of star formation in the galaxy.
Further reading
* [The Starburst Galaxy M82](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Starburst_Galaxy_M82)
* [Starbursts: A Tale of Two Galaxies](https://www.almaobservatory.org/en/press-room/starbursts-a-tale-of-two-galaxies/)
* [ALMA Reveals Super Stellar Nurseries at Heart of Sculptor Galaxy](https://www.almaobservatory.org/en/press-room/alma-reveals-super-stellar-nurseries-at-heart-of-sculptor-galaxy/)
