Milky Way's nearest neighbour revealed

New Scientist ^ | 10/3/03 | Stuart Clark

[LibWhacker]

The nearest galaxy to our own Milky Way has been revealed. It is so close that the Milky Way is gradually consuming it by pulling in its stars. But it will be few billion years before it is entirely swallowed up.

The previously unknown galaxy lies about 25,000 light years from Earth and 42,000 light years from the centre of the Milky Way, beyond the stars in the constellation Canis Major. It is twice as close to the centre of our galaxy than the previous record holder, the Sagittarius Dwarf Galaxy, which was discovered in 1994.

Geraint Lewis, at the University of Sydney, Australia, was one of the international team that uncovered the galaxy. "It is an important discovery because it highlights that the Milky Way is not in its middle age - it is still forming."

The Canis Major dwarf galaxy had previously escaped detection because it is hidden behind dense clouds of dust. However, an international team of astronomers found it using infrared data from the recent 2 Micron All Sky Survey. (Graphics and animations of the Canis Major dwarf galaxy can be viewed here.)

Raining down

Infrared's ability to "see" straight through the dusty regions of the Milky Way proved invaluable. The team were looking for a rare type of old red star but found many more than they had expected.

Another team member, Mike Irwin at the University of Cambridge, UK, told New Scientist: "We found a large excess of these stars just below the plane of the Milky Way, spread into an elongated shape covering about 10 times the apparent size of the full Moon."

Coming from this main body, the astronomers also found trails of stars. Some of these are falling into the Milky Way and may even be passing through our own celestial neighbourhood. "In computer models we have run, some stars do seem to rain down close to the Solar System," says Irwin.

Which stars these are, if any, may remain unknown until next decade when the ESA spacecraft Gaia should launch. Gaia will measure stellar orbits to suggest which stars in the night sky have been cannibalised from this and other dwarf galaxies.

As for the discovery of more dwarf galaxies, Irwin is cautious: "Instrumentation is now so good that there are not too many hiding places left for dwarf galaxies. There may be a few more yet to be discovered, but not many."

A paper on the discovery of the new galaxy will be published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.

[LibWhacker]

It'd be wild if we found out that our own solar system was cannibalized from one of these dwarf galaxies.

[trebb]

So, are we unilateraly going after this other galaxy or do we have the consent of the other galaxies?

[DannyTN]

Well I always thought this galaxy was too small. I think we should cannibalize all the galaxy's we can.

[My2Cents]

Welcome, neighbor.

[pgyanke]

As for the discovery of more dwarf galaxies, Irwin is cautious: "Instrumentation is now so good that there are not too many hiding places left for dwarf galaxies. There may be a few more yet to be discovered, but not many."

This sounds a lot like "everything that can be invented, has been invented" (paraphrased, obviously, from the early part of 20th century).

[AppyPappy]

In my freezer, the Milky Way is next to the Snickers.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Most interesting!

OFFICIAL BUMP(TOPIC)LIST

[pabianice]

The UN has already introduced a bill to protect this new galaxy from "the capitalistic, imperialistic, racist, sexist, homophobic, mysogenistic Milky Way Galaxy, which has a Confederate flag on its bumper and a gun rack in the back window..."

[kidd]

It is so close that the Milky Way is gradually consuming it by pulling in its stars. But it will be few billion years before it is entirely swallowed up.

Have you ever noticed that science "news for non-scientists" articles/television almost always need to include some feature of impending doom?

Astronomy articles need to note when we're going to be swallowed up or collided with.

Wildlife shows almost always end with "...but this magnificent creature is threatened mostly by one other...man. Soon we will no longer be able to observe this rare beauty because of..."

Nearly any technological advancement is evaluated for its effect on global warming, rain forest depletion, ozone hole enlargement or cancer risk.

Do these publishers really believe that we need to be frightened into finding an interest in their news?

[theDentist]

How soon until McDermott and Bonior take a junket there to pose in front of cameras and whine?

[LaMudBug]

Is this a case of Celestial Manifest Destiny? Are the libs aware that this is happening? Should not a protest movement be started? Is it the fault of Bush, Cheney, Rice, Rumsfiedl, the RNL, Regan, Rush, etc...?

[LiteKeeper]

YEC INTREP

[LaMudBug]

Is this a case of Celestial Manifest Destiny? Are the libs aware that this is happening? Should not a protest movement be started? Is it the fault of Bush, Cheney, Rice, Rumsfiedl, the RNL, Regan, Rush, etc...?

[DannyTN]

"In my freezer, the Milky Way is next to the Snickers. "

Does that make the name of this dwarf galaxy the "un Size Snickers"

[Poohbah]

It is twice as close to the centre of our galaxy than the previous record holder, the Sagittarius Dwarf Galaxy.

Is this dwarf galaxy now an angry drunken dwarf galaxy, like Hank? Baba-booey! (c8

[Semper Paratus]

Milky Way is not in its middle age - it is still forming

A sobering thought that there are older galaxies with possibly far far advanced civilizations.

"Resistance is Futile".

[bert]

....are we unilateraly going after this other galaxy...
just be patient, it's coming to us

[Poohbah]

Is this a case of Celestial Manifest Destiny? Are the libs aware that this is happening? Should not a protest movement be started? Is it the fault of Bush, Cheney, Rice, Rumsfiedl, the RNL, Regan, Rush, etc...?

This is obviously a plot by PNAG (Project for a New American Galaxy), part of the notorious neoconservative cabal.

[LibWhacker]

Me too! Don't want Andromeda pushing us around just cause it's bigger than us. Still, I wish these illegal alien stars would get proper documentation before coming here! ;-)

[LibWhacker]

Here's hoping that we NEVER encounter a civilization that's far more advanced than us!