Astronomers have fixed a new star stream

Astronomers have fixed a new star stream

Scientists have captured a new stellar flow in the halo of our galaxy. This jet stream will help answer fundamental questions about the mass distribution of dark matter in the Milky Way.

Star streams are remnants of dwarf galaxies or globular-type clusters that previously revolved around the galaxy, but collapsed and stretched along the orbits by tidal forces of the hosts. Up to this point in the Milky Way found about 20 star streams, several in the Andromeda galaxy and 10 outside the Local Group.

Researchers are trying to find new stellar flows on the territory of our galaxy, because they will be able to explain in more detail the fundamental galactic processes. For example, we better understand the distribution of dark matter in the halo.

Now the research team from the European Southern Observatory has used the SLAMS optical imaging. This is a 4-meter telescope at the Cerro Tololo Observatory (Chile), which is looking for satellites of the Magellanic Clouds. However, the review is in December 2016 and January 2017. accidentally discovered a new stellar flow in the halo of the Milky Way. It is 95,000 light-years distant from us and crosses the Hydra and Compass territories. The width is extended to 293 light years, which is why it belongs to a group of thin star streams. Most likely, the progenitor is a globular cluster.

Mass exceeds solar by 25,000 times. This is one of the least massive stellar currents known to date. In addition, it is represented mainly by the poor in metal stars, and the age - 12.5 billion years.

Scientists plan to conduct additional visualization to track the flow beyond the current study scope. Then they will create a spectroscopic company to determine the radial velocity and metallicity.

Comments (0)
Search