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Hanny's Voorwerp is a strange, green blob of gas and dust located in the constellation Leo Minor. It was first discovered in 2007 by Dutch schoolteacher Hanny van Arkel, who noticed it while participating in the Galaxy Zoo citizen science project.
Scientists believe that Hanny's Voorwerp was formed by a phenomenon called "light echo." This occurs when a bright source of light, such as a quasar, illuminates nearby gas and dust, causing it to glow. The light from the quasar has since faded, but the glowing gas and dust remain.
Hanny's Voorwerp is unique because it is one of the largest known objects in the universe that is not a galaxy. It measures about 16,000 light-years across, which is about 10 times the size of our own Milky Way galaxy. Additionally, it is the first object of its kind to be discovered by a citizen scientist.
Studying Hanny's Voorwerp can provide insights into the evolution of galaxies and the role of supermassive black holes in their formation. It can also help us better understand the process of light echoes and how they impact the surrounding gas and dust. Additionally, it can give us a glimpse into the history of the universe and how objects like Hanny's Voorwerp have changed over time.
Scientists are continuing to study Hanny's Voorwerp using various telescopes and instruments, such as the Hubble Space Telescope and the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA). They are also investigating other similar objects in the universe to see if they can find any patterns or connections. Additionally, there are ongoing efforts to involve more citizen scientists in the study of Hanny's Voorwerp and other astronomical phenomena.