Dwarf galaxy discovered near Milky Way
MAY 02, 2013
DOI: 10.1063/PT.5.026981
Scientific American : A dwarf galaxy relatively close to the Milky Way was recently spotted by astronomers using the Arecibo Observatory radio telescope in Puerto Rico. Tiny by galactic standards and only 5 million to 6 million light-years away, Leo P has hundreds of thousands of stars compared with the Milky Way’s hundreds of billions. Because of their small size, dwarf galaxies tend to be faint and therefore hard to see. Leo P stood out, however, because it is in the process of forming bright young blue stars. Dwarf galaxies are also rare as they frequently get swallowed up by larger ones. Astronomers hope the discovery will help them learn more about galaxy dynamics and point the way toward other, similar sightings.
© 2013 American Institute of Physics
