back to article Hubble finds lonely 'void galaxy' floating in cosmic nothingness

“In a galaxy far, far away” you don't see much, it seems. The image at the top (here for readers on mobile devices) is one of the latest shots retrieved from Hubble, and the galaxy that's front-and-centre is one of the loneliest ever snapped. It even has to suffer a dull, prosaic name: MCG+01-02-015. In spite of its apparent …

  1. Destroy All Monsters Silver badge
    Pint

    Not Bussard Ramjetting out of there!

    Clearly the "Oubliette" Galaxy.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Not Bussard Ramjetting out of there!

      Sure you can. You will build up all your momentum in the starting galaxy, and shed it in the destination galaxy. The density of the interstellar void around that galaxy or ours is so thin it is irrelevant, you won't add enough momentum to matter.

    2. Yugguy
      Happy

      Re: Not Bussard Ramjetting out of there!

      Dammit - have an upvote even though I was all ready to post a Bussard Ramjet comment.

  2. Your alien overlord - fear me
    Paris Hilton

    Empty and aloof ... Paris

  3. jake Silver badge

    I can see something similar ...

    ... looking under a rock in a local stream.

    Perspective. It's kind of important.

    1. Triggerfish

      Re: I can see something similar ...

      What?

    2. Martin Budden Silver badge

      Re: I can see something similar ...

      Space is a big, wonderful, amazing, splendid place!

      Unless your name is jake in which case your universe is as dull as a rock.

  4. VinceH

    And the reason it's 'a"void galaxy" that lives apart from others'?

    It's because 'Space is big. Really big. You just won't believe how vastly, hugely, mind-bogglingly big it is. I mean, you may think it's a long way down the road to the chemist, but that's just peanuts to space.'

    1. Destroy All Monsters Silver badge
      Windows

      Always good to link to Millenium Simulation. Which is pretty old now, however. Or I am old. Or the universe is. Something.

      Anyway, is there a richer, more glorious simulation out there?

  5. James 51
    Alien

    Sounds like a good place to hide.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      What is the galactic equivalent of "innawoods, with Heintz Beans and AK-74?"

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Sounds like a good place to hide

      For the rebel base

  6. MacroRodent
    Coat

    Clearly a syntax error

    It should be

    void *galaxy;

    or

    void galaxy();

    (Mine's the one with K&R in the pocket)

  7. MassiveBob

    A bit confused here...

    As the Hubble organisation explains here, MCG+01-02-015 is so far away from the action that if Earth were inside looking out, we would not have discovered that the universe held other galaxies until the 1960s.

    So does this mean that because the galaxy is millions/billions of light years away from other galaxies, it takes that long for the light from those galaxies to reach it? And in Earth's age terms, it would have taken until 1960 for the first light to reach??

    Personally, I can't think of a better decade for it to arrive though...

    1. druck Silver badge

      Re: A bit confused here...

      I assume they mean we would not have powerful enough telescopes until the 60's to be able to see any other galaxies.

      1. RIBrsiq

        Re: A bit confused here...

        Why would anyone build telescopes of any strength at all, if the sky looks blank?

        Speaking of which, I forward that this galaxy be named Krikkit.

        1. Bill Fresher

          Re: A bit confused here...

          "Why would anyone build telescopes of any strength at all, if the sky looks blank?"

          Presumably because you can see the stars that are in this galaxy.

          1. RIBrsiq
            Facepalm

            Re: A bit confused here...

            "Presumably because you can see the stars that are in this galaxy".

            Right...

            My face is so red right now, you could use it as the Register's logo.

            Thanks, sir.

        2. BenR

          Speaking of which, I forward that this galaxy be named Krikkit.

          Seconded.

          Now where did I leave that Wikkit Gate....?

        3. ma1010
          Pirate

          Re: A bit confused here...

          And by a strange coincidence, the inhabitants of that galaxy DID first build telescopes that saw other galaxies during the 1960's. When they observed the splendor of the rest of the universe, their comment was "Well, it's all got to go, of course." The demolition fleets are now on their way and should arrive here in the next few thousand years. (Well, it's a big universe, and what makes you think OUR galaxy deserves such a high priority, anyway?)

          1. allthecoolshortnamesweretaken

            "The demolition fleets are now on their way and should arrive here in the next few thousand years."

            That depends. On the progress of the Hyperspace Bypass Deployment Program (HyByDePro).

      2. Stoneshop
        Headmaster

        Re: A bit confused here...

        to be able to see any other galaxies.

        Rather, to determine that some of the stars they see are actually galaxies.

        1. The entire Radio 1 playlist commitee

          Re: A bit confused here...

          Regarding: " some of the stars they see are actually galaxies"

          Other galaxies don't look like stars, they look like dim smudges of light.

          1. Martin Budden Silver badge

            Re: A bit confused here...

            Other galaxies don't look like stars, they look like dim smudges of light.

            That is an excellent reason to build telescopes: "Most stars in our sky look like bright pinpoints of light, but why do a few look smudgy?"

  8. Geoff May

    Perhaps it is the Duat Galaxy?

    1. Steven Roper

      Yes! I finally meet someone else who has read the Saga of the Exiles (and hopefully the counterpoint Galactic Milieu series as well!)

      Every time I've tried to talk about those books in sci-fi forums, I inevitably get responses of "What saga is that?" and "Who the fuck is Julian May?" I can't believe that such brilliant books - that are supposed to be bestsellers to boot - seem be so unfamiliar to so many sci-fi fans.

      I second your suggestion that it could be the Duat galaxy, since it is a barred spiral. Although Duat was supposed to be 240 million light years away, and I think this one is a bit further than that.

      Anyway, thumbs up for the reference!

      1. This post has been deleted by its author

      2. Killing Time

        This one is about 330 mly away apparently.

        Full agreement on the Exiles and Milieu book series, maybe it's your age! Possibly more in the fantasy genre than sci fi but still a cracking read and not a weak volume in either series. Particularly liked the 'Jack the Bodiless' character.

        1. Al Black

          Duat Galaxy

          Perhaps they called it the "Void Galaxy" because it was bodiless? We should re-read the series rather than Torc about it...

          1. Killing Time

            Re: Duat Galaxy

            Yes ,back on my re read list as I have just had a battle of wills and stare down with our cat which reminded me of uncle Rogi's companion Marcel, a very perceptive writer indeed.

  9. Nigel 11

    Could Hubble see ...?

    Could Hubble see if there's a single Sol-like star on which this galaxy has lost its gravitational grip, headed out into the void all on its own?

    (I'm thinking of Iain M Banks's "Against a Dark Background" )

  10. pixl97

    Expanding space

    So it seems likely that this is one of the first places that will becomes 'disconnected' with the rest of the universe as the metric expansion of space occurs. Since it's not closely gravitationally bound to any other galaxies everything will disappear sooner and they will truly be alone.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Expanding space

      "everything will disappear sooner and they will truly be alone."

      There'll still be the 100 billion or so stars in the galaxy to explore. I doubt anyone living there will feel left out for a while.

      1. TheOtherHobbes

        Re: Expanding space

        But their home galaxy will be the only one, and everything else will be lost in an eternity of infinite expanding darkness.

        Which means no IKEA for millions of light years.

        So... not all bad.

    2. Stoneshop
      Headmaster

      Re: Expanding space

      For values of 'alone' that mean 'alone, excluding that what might be found in their own galaxy'.

  11. Winkypop Silver badge
    Alien

    Puppeteers?

    Is it a fleet of worlds moving steadily away?

  12. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Attention all citizens of the universe

    Would the owner of MCG+01-02-015 please return to their galaxy.

    You have left the motor running...better run and get it back.

  13. John Stoffel

    Iain M. Banks wins again!

    It's just like the star system in "Against a Dark Background" but different.

    John

  14. Jimbo in Thailand
    Angel

    Zenu's hometown?

    If you squint real hard at that galactic image you will see Zenu looking back at you bent over in uncontrollable laughter guffawing at the fools on this small 3rd rock so far away who actually believe in LRH's 'gift' of the cult of Suckertology. But wait... there's also something else... uh oh... wait a sec... there's definitely a disturbance in the David Miscavige force... someone has just escaped... yes... yes... it's true... why it's Leah Remini... and she's finally free after 30 years... and she's telling everyone what absolute BS it is! OH MY BODY-THETANS! Who will be next?

  15. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    This is proof positive that there is free energy.

    Withouth free energy, there is no way that one small galaxy could have made it out there all on its own.

    I'm sure the inhabitants of that galaxy are not getting shafted by THEIR governments.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Free as in beer or free as in freedom?

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        "Free" as in free from constricting rules of logic or suffocating laws of physics.

        We don't need no stinkin' laws.

  16. Mark 85

    Could this be the "missing mass"?

    Could galaxies such as this be the missing mass that has fueled the dark matter debate? It's not missing at all, just too far away for us to know about? If we don't know about it, we can't add it into the calculations.

    Just musing on a rainy Tuesday.... The universe is a wonderful thing to muse on.

    1. Destroy All Monsters Silver badge

      Re: Could this be the "missing mass"?

      The answer you are looking for is a resounding NO.

      Dark matter is nearby, indeed in our galactic halo, right here at home. Besides, you are looking for 6 times more dark matter than visible matter. A loner galaxy in a void does not cut it.

    2. Martin Budden Silver badge

      Re: Could this be the "missing mass"?

      Dark matter is an idea which has been invented to make our observations fit what we think gravity does. The problem I have with that is we don't really know much about gravity: https://xkcd.com/1489/ (remember to read the mouse-over text). So we are supposed to believe in magically invisible stuff? Yeah right. Dark matter may as well be lots of Russell's teapots.

      1. Destroy All Monsters Silver badge
        Thumb Down

        Re: Could this be the "missing mass"?

        > we don't really know much about gravity

        Thta's just fucking bullshit pulled out of donkey arses. The Einstein Field Equations have not shown a single hole in about a century of application. I strongly suspect this will stay that way until someone comes up with a viable description of quantum gravity.

        > So we are supposed to believe in magically invisible stuff?

        So we are supposed to have magically different behaviour of gravity under nicely left-unstated conditions?

        I don't see what the XKCD strip adds either. Especially as it shows the Newton equation. Feck off.

  17. allthecoolshortnamesweretaken

    Dark Matter

    Interesting: http://physics.stackexchange.com/questions/190328/did-dark-matter-cause-the-formation-of-the-solar-system

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