Meet the astronomer using ‘cosmic fossils’ to investigate the Milky Way's violent birth
Summary
Astronomer Amina Helmi studies the history of the Milky Way by analyzing stars as "cosmic fossils," using data from the European Space Agency’s Gaia mission. Her research shows that the Milky Way formed through collisions with other galaxies, changing the previous idea that it grew smoothly over time.Key Facts
- Amina Helmi is an expert in galactic archaeology, which studies the past of our galaxy using stars.
- Stars contain chemical information that helps trace where and how they formed.
- The Gaia space mission created a detailed 3D map of about 1.5 billion stars.
- Data from Gaia allowed Helmi to show that the Milky Way grew through collisions with other galaxies.
- Around 10 billion years ago, a dwarf galaxy called Gaia-Enceladus merged with the early Milky Way.
- This collision created new stars and shaped parts of the galaxy’s structure.
- Helmi won the Kavli Prize, a top award in astrophysics, for her discoveries about the Milky Way.
- The prize recognizes her and colleagues for proving the galaxy formed through many cosmic mergers.
Read the Full Article
This is a fact-based summary from The Actual News. Click below to read the complete story directly from the original source.
