Scientists have discovered nine new satellite galaxies of the Milky Way.
For years, astronomers have wondered how to explain why. milky way the least Space galaxies What the Standard Model predicts Dark matterThis is called the “missing satellite problem.” To get us closer to solving this problem, an international team of scientists used data from Subaru Strategic Program (SSP) Hyper Suprime-Cam (HSC) To discover two entirely new satellite galaxies.
These results remain Published In the journal Publications of the Astronomical Society of Japan on June 8, 2024, by a team of scientists from Japan, Taiwan and the United States.
we live in galaxy It is called the Milky Way, and orbits around it are other, smaller galaxies called satellite galaxies. Studying these satellite galaxies can help scientists unlock the secrets of dark matter and better understand how galaxies evolve over time.
How many satellite galaxies are there in the Milky Way? This has been an important question for astronomers for decades. – Masahiro Shiba, professor at Tohoku University, noted.
The research team concluded that there are likely many more undiscovered small satellite galaxies.dwarf galaxies) and are far away and difficult to detect. The powerful capabilities of the Subaru Telescope—which sits atop an isolated mountain above the clouds in Hawaii—are well-suited to finding such galaxies. In fact, the research team previously discovered three new dwarf galaxies using the Subaru Telescope.
The team has now discovered two additional dwarf galaxies (Virgo III and Sextants II). With this discovery, different research teams have discovered a total of nine satellite galaxies. This is still far short of the 220 satellite galaxies predicted by the standard dark matter theory.
However, the HSC-SSP scope does not cover the entire Milky Way. If the distribution of these nine satellite galaxies across the Milky Way is similar to what was found in the HSC-SSP trace, the research team calculates that there may actually be closer to 500. Now we have a “too many satellites problem.” Not a “missing satellites problem.”
High-resolution imaging and analysis are needed to better characterize the true number of satellite galaxies. The next step is to use a more powerful telescope that can capture a wider view of the sky. Chiba explained. And next year it will be used for this purpose. Vera C. Rubin Observatory In Chile. I hope many new space galaxies will be discovered.
development:
Agnieszka Novak
more information:
Source: Tohoku University
Pictured: The location of the newly discovered dwarf galaxy Virgo III in the constellation Virgo (left) and its member stars (right; those circled in white). The member stars are grouped within the dashed line in the right panel. Source: NAOJ/Tohoku University
Echo Richards embodies a personality that is a delightful contradiction: a humble musicaholic who never brags about her expansive knowledge of both classic and contemporary tunes. Infuriatingly modest, one would never know from a mere conversation how deeply entrenched she is in the world of music. This passion seamlessly translates into her problem-solving skills, with Echo often drawing inspiration from melodies and rhythms. A voracious reader, she dives deep into literature, using stories to influence her own hardcore writing. Her spirited advocacy for alcohol isn’t about mere indulgence, but about celebrating life’s poignant moments.
