People usually equate galaxies with planets, lots of stars and beds of dust. However, Milky Way's dwarf galaxy neighbor is an exception as it contains very little cosmic dust – a clean freak!
The galaxy, named IC 1613, also lacks starry discs, which are found in other dwarf galaxies.
Although IC 1613 does not have forms usually exhibited by similar galaxies, it makes up for its tidiness.
IC 1613 does not only bring delight due to its unique physical appearance. The galaxy also helps astronomers study it with much precision because of its high clarity. The cleanliness of the IC 1613 is critically important to understanding the entire universe.
"Decades ago, IC 1613 helped astronomers work out how to utilise variable stars to chart the Universe's grand expanse," states the European Southern Observatory.
Experts have been able to gather rich information about IC 1613. They have found that it is located 2.3 million light years away from Earth. The galaxy is also part of the Local Group, which is comprised of over 50 galaxies, including the Milky Way.
Aside from its pristine nature, astronomers are also able to study the galaxy with breeze due to the presence of pulsating stars.
IC 1613 has two very notable star types called Cepheid variables and RR Lyrae variables. Both kinds of stars rhythmically pulsate and grow larger and more luminous at fixed intervals.
Applying the common sense logic of candles and light bulbs, astronomers know that the farther these objects are, the dimmer they become. This simple concept guides astronomers as they determine the distance of the cosmic objects away from Earth.
Intrinsic brightness is the key feature that astronomers look for to identify how far a cosmic material is. Cepheid and RR Lyrae variables have a special characteristic that directly connects their dimming and brightening to their intrinsic brightness. Such value may be studied together with the observed brightness of each object to determine how far it is.
Max Wolf, a German astronomer, first observed the weak glow of IC 1613 in 1906. Years later, another German fellow used the more high-quality 2.5-meter (about 8 feet) telescope at the Mount Wilson Observatory in California to map out its individual stars. Through this, astronomers first came to believe that the galaxy is Milky Way's neighbor.
