Earth's weather changes plans. This cosmic 'wind' could kill a galaxy - USA Today

- Colliding galaxies can trigger rapid star formation but also cause gas to be expelled.

- Astronomers used the James Webb Space Telescope to observe a distant galaxy merger called CRISTAL-02.

- CRISTAL-02 is losing gas faster than it is creating stars, which could halt future star formation.

- This gas loss, called a galactic wind, is likely driven by intense star formation and supernova explosions.

When galaxies collide, the encounter can trigger a frenzy of star formation. Huge clouds of gas crash together and collapse, creating new stars at a rapid pace.

But that burst of activity comes with a consequence. The same young stars and exploding supernovas release enormous amounts of energy, blasting gas out of the galaxy. Since gas is the fuel needed to make stars, losing too much of it can bring star formation to a halt.

In a new study published in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, astronomers used the James Webb Space Telescope to observe a distant galaxy merger known as CRISTAL-02. The system appears as it existed about 1 billion years after the Big Bang, when galaxies were growing and colliding more frequently than they do today.

Researchers found a massive stream of gas escaping the galaxy at hundreds of miles per second. Although CRISTAL-02 is still producing stars at a rapid rate, it is losing gas even faster. Over time, that could leave the galaxy without enough fuel to keep making new stars.

Scientists believe the galactic wind is being driven by intense star formation and supernova explosions triggered by the merger, though a supermassive black hole could also be playing a role. The discovery offers a rare look at how some of the universe's earliest galaxies may have grown quickly before running out of the material needed to sustain that growth.

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Is there actually wind in space?

Not exactly. Wind on Earth is moving air, and space is mostly empty. But astronomers use the term "wind" to describe streams of particles, gas and energy moving through space, according to NASA. The best-known example is the solar wind, a constant flow of charged particles released by the sun that helps drive space weather across the solar system.

Galaxies can generate their own winds, too. Intense star formation, supernova explosions and active black holes can push gas outward at high speeds, transporting material and reshaping their surroundings. So while there’s no atmosphere in space, galaxies can still experience powerful flows of matter and energy that scientists describe as winds.

Earth isn't the only place with weather.

Astronomers use the term " space weather " to describe disturbances caused by activity from stars, including bursts of radiation, charged particles and magnetic fields moving through space. Around Earth, these storms can interfere with satellites, radio communications, GPS signals and power grids.

On a larger scale, galaxies experience their own turbulent events. Exploding stars, powerful black holes and galaxy mergers can send waves of energy and matter racing across space, creating conditions that scientists often compare to storms.

The newly observed wind in CRISTAL-02 isn't a storm in the traditional sense, but it is part of the same idea: energy moving through a system and dramatically changing its environment. In this case, the outflow is so powerful that it may be removing the gas needed to form future generations of stars.

While Earth's storms can last hours or days, these cosmic disturbances can unfold over millions of years and span thousands of light-years.

Brandi D. Addison covers weather across the United States as the Weather Connect Reporter for the USA TODAY Network. She can be reached at baddison@gannett.com. Find her on Facebook here.