The Evolution of the Modern Milky Way Galaxy
PBS Space Time・16 minutes read
The text delves into the author's observations of the Milky Way at the Las Campanas observatory in Chile, discussing galactic cannibalism, the galaxy's components, and its history shaped by mergers and interactions, including a significant one with Gaia-Enceladus. Various factors impacting the potential for life in galaxies, explanations for the Fermi paradox, and the expansion of the universe are also explored.
Insights
- Enormous surveys tracking over a billion Milky Way stars enable predictions of future mergers and the reconstruction of the galaxy's past, unveiling the galaxy's dynamic history.
- The Milky Way has undergone significant mergers and interactions with dwarf galaxies, resulting in streams of stars and shaping its structure, with a notable merger with Gaia-Enceladus around 10 billion years ago profoundly impacting the galaxy's evolution.
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Recent questions
What is the Milky Way made of?
Stars, dark matter, disk, bulge, halo.
How do astronomers study galaxy evolution?
Through mergers, interactions, and stellar archaeology.
What is the significance of the Gaia-Enceladus merger?
Reshaped the Milky Way and formed the thick disk.
What is galactic cannibalism?
Process of galaxies merging and interacting.
How do astronomers predict future galaxy mergers?
By tracking positions and motions of stars.
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