The lightest galaxy ever discovered, according to researchers, is an infinitesimally small clump of 1,000 stars orbiting the Milky Way.
A minuscule clump of dark matter holds the dwarf galaxy Segue 2 together. According to scientists who measured it using Hawaii's Keck Observatory, the observation validates hypotheses on the universe's creation.
According to models, the periphery of our cosmic neighbourhood should be swarming with tiny galaxies, but researchers have discovered a much less number of satellite dwarf galaxies in the Local Group than they had anticipated.
According to the experts, Segue 2's brightness is just 900 times lower than that of the sun. In contrast, the Milky Way is 20 billion times brighter.
The dark matter halo that functions as the galaxy's glue, according to a different study researcher, Evan Kirby, is what distinguishes Segue 2 from a star cluster. Kirby and colleagues calculated the highest weight range of 25 of the dwarf galaxy's main stars and discovered that Segue 2 is 10 times less crowded than previously thought.
Bullock characterized to the discovery as "the tip of the iceberg observation" and stated that there may be thousands more very low-mass star bodies orbiting the Milky Way that are far beyond the range of our detection.
Segue 2's unusual size aside, researchers think it may provide hints for researchers looking into how components like iron, carbon, and other elements are formed in the universe.
The Astrophysical Journal published a thorough account of the findings .
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