High-speed gas collisions prevent star birth in galaxies’ bars
Simulations of a barred spiral galaxy explain why its bar fails to sparkle with newborn stars
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.sciencenews.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/041520_kc_galaxy_feat.jpg?fit=1028%2C579&ssl=1)
Dark lanes of dust run along the yellow-orange bar in the middle of NGC 1300. That color means the region is engaged in little if any star formation—unlike the blue spiral arms.
NASA, ESA, Hubble Heritage Team/AURA/STScI. Acknowledgment: P. Knezek/WIYN.