Do Galaxies Move? Rotation Around Something?

  • Thread starter mdmaaz
  • Start date
  • Tags
    Galaxies
In summary, galaxies rotate and move in various ways. They can collect into groups and clusters, with individual galaxies orbiting around a common center of gravity. The Doppler Effect can measure their speed and direction, with a red shift indicating movement away and a blue shift indicating movement towards us. The solar system moves in a circular path within the Milky Way, but its motion relative to other galaxies is not circular due to the expansion of space.
  • #1
mdmaaz
42
0
Moons revolve around planets. Planets revolve around stars. The entire solar system moves in a circular path within the galaxies. I was wondering whether galaxies also move in a circular path around something. Do galaxies rotate?
 
Astronomy news on Phys.org
  • #2
Galaxies collect gravitationally into groups and clusters. The individual galaxies in each orbit around the common center of gravity of the group or cluster.
 
  • #4
Galaxies speed and direction can be measured by the Doppler Effect. If the spectrum is shifted to the Red they are moving away and to the Blue they are moving towards us.
 
Last edited:
  • #5
Philosophaie said:
Galaxies speed and direction can be measured by the Doppler Effect. If the spectrum is shifted to thhe Red they are moving away and to the Blue they are moving towards us.

True but irrelevant to the OPs question, which as nothing to do with how galaxies are moving relative to US but rather how they are moving relative to themselves and to any objects by which they are gravitationally affected, and with the rest of the galaxy.

mdmazz, your statement "The entire solar system moves in a circular path within the galaxies" is incorrect. The solar system moves in a circular (more or less) path IN THE MILKY WAY. Its motion relative to the REST of the galaxies in the universe, which is to say, its motion relative to the whole universe (the "observable universe" that is), is not circular.

Check out: http://hypertextbook.com/facts/1999/PatriciaKong.shtml
 
  • #6
As noted above, galaxies move with respect to each other due to gravitational interactions (orbiting each other within galaxy clusters).

Galaxy clusters also "move" apart from each other due to the expansion of space.
 

1. Do all galaxies move?

Yes, all galaxies are in constant motion. They move through space and interact with other galaxies through gravity.

2. What causes galaxies to move?

Galaxies are primarily moved by the force of gravity. The distribution of matter within and around a galaxy can also affect its motion.

3. Do galaxies rotate around something?

Yes, galaxies rotate around a central point called the galactic center. This is where most of the galaxy's mass is concentrated.

4. How fast do galaxies rotate?

The rotational speed of a galaxy varies depending on its mass and size. On average, galaxies in our local group rotate at speeds of 100-200 km/s, while larger galaxies can rotate at speeds of up to 600 km/s.

5. Do galaxies rotate in a specific direction?

Yes, most galaxies rotate in a counterclockwise direction when viewed from above the galactic plane. However, there are exceptions to this, and the direction of rotation can also change within a galaxy.

Similar threads

Replies
10
Views
1K
  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
Replies
7
Views
1K
  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
Replies
5
Views
2K
  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
2
Replies
53
Views
5K
  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
Replies
10
Views
1K
  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
Replies
4
Views
2K
Replies
22
Views
2K
  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
Replies
6
Views
2K
  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
Replies
19
Views
2K
Replies
16
Views
2K
Back
Top