Astronomers Confirm Star Formation Theories with Discovery of Molecular Gas Stream Outside Galaxy.

An international team of space scientists has observed a "cold stream" of molecular gas outside of a galaxy, confirming theories of star formation within galaxies. The team used the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) to focus on the stream and learn more about its nature. They found evidence of such a stream feeding a galaxy called 4C 41.17. The researchers plan to continue studying the stream by returning to ALMA and also through use of the Very Large Array in New Mexico.