Researchers from University of Toledo tried to develop a new method to change our old perspective and understanding of the history of galaxies. The researchers used NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope to focus on a post-starburst galaxy called S12, nearly 500 million light years away from Earth.
The researchers made a new method to establish the star formation history of a post-starburst galaxy by using its cluster population. The method used mass estimates of stellar clusters to determine the strength and speed of the starburst that stopped forming more stars in the galaxy.
By this method, the researchers found that S12 experienced two periods of starburst before it stopped making stars.
Researcher studied post-starburst galaxies for more than a decade to understand the evolutionary history of post-starburst galaxies. They discovered, the main material for star formation, gas and dust are still present in huge quantities in S12. Though it is not forming any stars right now.
The new method can be used to determine recent star formation histories for a number of post-starburst systems.
The study shows star formation in S12 shut off 70 million years ago after an intense burst.
