It is not everyday that astronomers can say they have made a discovery, but today they are pretty close. A new galaxy neighboring the Milky Way has been discovered.
It sits at the very edge of the observable universe.
Leo P., a dwarf galaxy, is one of the nearest to our own.
Leo is also a cosmic loner, one that does not interact with other galaxies. Its presence could be an indication that there are a number of undiscovered small galaxies in our corner of the universe.
Leo P. is one of the galaxies that does not encroach on either the Milky Way or the massive Andromeda also in its proximity. A discovery of a dwarf, furthermore, is rare and therefore welcome as it offer new insights.
Because these dwarfs, isolated as they are, do not interact, they seem to provide an example of observable objects in a serene, undisturbed environment.
Nevertheless, Leo P. is no slouch. It too is producing stars, bright and blue, and new, in a region of ionized gas. And because it goes about its laborious production undisturbed it can provide astronomers a chance to observe an environment that is not influenced by the tugging or pull of larger galaxies, which tend to cannibalize neighboring star formations.
Astronomers are confident that there are many more similar dwarfs in a placid state in the same quarter of the universe. In fact they have already spotted about 50 similar cloud formation, usually a telltale sign of a star generating body.
Source : Scientific American 5.1.13
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