A stellar “aura”

Using the Gaia space observatory, astronomers explored the dwarf galaxy Fornax. They discovered

that this galaxy has an extended stellar halo, extending more than 17 thousand light years. Discuss

Recently, a group of astronomers led by YangbinYana of the Paris Observatory in France examined the stellar structure of Fornax over an area of ​​400 square degrees. The main goal of their study was to study the scale of the stellar population of the red giant branch of this galaxy.

Study reveals gap in density profileFornax, which made it possible to detect a significant component in this galaxy, resembling a stellar halo due to its almost symmetrical morphology. It spans 17,600 light-years, and its mass is about 10 percent of that of the galaxy.

Astronomers suggest that the discoveredthe extended stellar halo may be related to the recent expansion of stars in Fornax. However, detailed numerical simulations will be required to confirm this hypothesis.

Source: Phys.org