Shakti and Shiva: Building blocks of Milky Way galaxy

Using the Gaia space telescope, astronomers from the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, Germany, have identified the earliest “building blocks” of our Milky Way galaxy, dating back 12-13 billion years.

Key points

  • These stellar groups, named ‘Shakti’ and ‘Shiva’, provide insights into the galaxy’s formation.
  • These ancient stellar streams likely came together to form the very foundation of the galaxy in which we live.
  • The stars in ‘Shakti’ and ‘Shiva’ were found to have a higher angular momentum compared to those at the heart of the Milky Way, suggesting they belonged to separate galaxies that merged with our own.
  • These stars were low in metal content, indicating they were formed a long time ago. Stars with higher metal content are typically formed more recently.
  • The astronomers believe that ‘Shakti’ and ‘Shiva’ might be the first two additions to the heart of the Milky Way, initiating its growth towards becoming a large galaxy.
  • This discovery sheds light on the galaxy’s formation process, highlighting the merging of smaller galaxies as a key mechanism in creating the Milky Way’s structure.

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