Gaia Telescope Unveils Ancient Star Streams: Shiva and Shakti
Tags: Science and Technology
The Gaia telescope, led by Khyati Malhan, reveals two ancient star streams: Shiva and Shakti.
An Overview of the News
These streams were formed over 12 billion years ago and exhibit unique classes and compositions.
The discovery, made by the European Space Agency's Gaia telescope, enhances our understanding of the galaxy's origins.
Khyati Malhan is from the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy (MPIA) in Germany.
Features and Structure:
Unique Orbits and Chemical Structures: Gaia identifies two distinct structures, Shakti and Shiva, with distinct orbitals and chemical structures.
Mass and age: Each cluster contains about 10 million suns, ranging in age from 12 to 13 billion years, displaying similar orbits and compositions.
Galactic position and origin:
Location and formation: Located toward the galaxy's core, these streams originated as separate fragments that merged into one galaxy early in its history, shedding light on the galaxy's formation.
Galactic archaeology: Discovery of Gaia reveals the oldest stars in the Galaxy, which predate the formation of the galactic disk, suggesting a complex origin involving filaments of gas and dust.
Symbolism and Naming:
Divine Inspiration: Named after the Hindu divine couple, Shiva and Shakti symbolize the creation of the universe, reflecting the distinctive characteristics of stellar streams.
Orbital differences: Shakti stars exhibit orbits slightly more distant from the galactic center, featuring more circular paths than Shiva.
Importance and future prospects:
Understanding early galaxies: This discovery provides insight into the early evolution of the Milky Way, indicating its origin from long filaments of gas and dust that gave rise to stars and galaxies.
Future Insights: Upcoming Gaia data releases may deepen our understanding of these ancient components, aiding research on star clusters, galaxies, and exoplanets beyond the Milky Way.
About Gaia Space Telescope:
Mission and operations: Launched in December 2013, Gaia, operated by the European Space Agency, surveys the sky to create a detailed 3D map of the Milky Way.
Objectives and Contributions: In addition to mapping the Milky Way, Gaia data informs studies on a variety of astronomical phenomena, including star clusters, galaxies, and exoplanets, furthering our understanding of the dynamics of the universe.
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