A team of astronomers has discovered a unique system of stars inside our Milky Way Galaxy. This cluster, named UMa3/U1, is the dimmest star system ever discovered in our Galaxy. But looking at this system, scientists are not able to decide whether it is a star cluster or a small galaxy itself?
This system, named Ursa Major III/Unions 1 (UNMa3/U1), is very faint and full of old stars. These stars are located at a distance of 30 thousand light years from the Earth in the direction of the Ursa Major constellation. A team of researchers from Yale University and University of Victoria have discovered this UMa3/U1 group.
According to scientists, there are only 60 stars in this group in an area of 10 light years. Being a very small group, it is not easily visible. Despite being a small size group, this star cluster is considered to be near the Earth. But the biggest question is whether it is a star cluster or a galaxy in itself?
Being in Ursa Major, this star cluster is considered to be near the Earth. (Symbolic photo: Wikimedia Commons)
Dark matter helps in resolving the difference between these two. Everything in the galaxy remains together and does not disintegrate due to the gravitational force of dark matter. Scientists consider dark matter to be that substance which cannot be seen or felt, but which has an effect on gravity.
On the other hand, in star clusters, the work of binding the stars is only due to gravity, but dark matter has no role in it. Yet the surprising thing is that the gravitational forces of the Milky Way Galaxy do not play a role in the scattering of the stars of UMa3/U1. In such a situation, the question arose whether dark matter is binding these stars? The surprising thing is how it has persisted for so long?
It is expected that this system should have disintegrated by now due to the tidal force of the Milky Way’s disk. In such a situation, it is possible that UMa3/U1 is a galaxy which contains very little visible matter, if so then it can provide very valuable information about the formation and evolution of dark matter galaxies. At the same time, it could also be a star cluster which is on the verge of disintegration. Only deep observations of the future will be able to answer all these questions
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FIRST PUBLISHED: April 1, 2024, 17:30 IST