Astronomers using the European Space Agency’s Gaia space telescope have made a groundbreaking discovery in the heart of the Milky Way galaxy. Two massive streams of stars, named Shiva and Shakti, have been identified, each containing the mass of 10 million suns and believed to be up to 13 billion years old.
These structures are considered to be some of the earliest building blocks of our galaxy and may have merged with the Milky Way between 12 to 13 billion years ago, contributing to its growth. The Gaia space telescope, which charts the speed, position, and motion of over 1.5 billion stars in the galaxy, played a crucial role in pinpointing these massive streams.
Researchers suggest that the Milky Way has experienced numerous collisions with neighboring galaxies over the past 12 billion years, with each merger introducing new stars to the evolving galaxy. Shiva and Shakti, located farther from the galactic center, are home to extremely metal-poor stars, indicating their age and significant role in the Milky Way’s early evolution.
The discovery of Shiva and Shakti offers valuable insights into the early stages of our galaxy’s growth and helps piece together its history and formation. By studying these ancient structures, astronomers can better understand the processes that shaped the Milky Way into the stunning spiral galaxy we see today.
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