(ORDO NEWS) — Using the Gaia space observatory, astronomers have explored the Fornax dwarf galaxy. They found that this galaxy has an extended stellar halo spanning more than 17,000 light-years.
Recently, a team of astronomers led by Yangbing Yang of the Paris Observatory in France examined the stellar structure of Fornax over an area of 400 square degrees.
The main goal of their study was to study the scale of the stellar population of the red giant branch of this galaxy.
The study revealed a gap in Fornax’s density profile, revealing a significant component in this galaxy that resembles a stellar halo due to its nearly symmetrical morphology.
It spans 17,600 light-years, and its mass is about 10 percent of that of the galaxy.
Astronomers speculate that the discovered extended stellar halo may be related to the recent expansion of stars in Fornax. However, detailed numerical simulations will be required to confirm this hypothesis.
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