The European Space Agency’s Gaia space telescope has made a groundbreaking discovery, uncovering two streams of stars that played a key role in the formation of the Milky Way over 12 billion years ago. Named ‘Shiva’ and ‘Shakti’, these streams are estimated to be equivalent to 10 million Suns in size and are between 12 and 13 billion years old.
What makes this discovery especially significant is that these streams have similar orbits and compositions, indicating that they were once separate entities that merged with the Milky Way. The Gaia data has also revealed that these stars are among the earliest to have formed in our galaxy, even before its disc fully took shape. Interestingly, the ‘Shiva’ stars are found orbiting closer to the center of the Milky Way, while the ‘Shakti’ stars have more circular orbits.
In addition to shedding light on the early stages of the Milky Way’s development, Gaia’s observations have led to the identification of other elements that played a role in shaping our galaxy. This newfound knowledge is providing researchers with a more complete understanding of the cosmic history of the Milky Way.
Furthermore, in a nod to India’s Chandrayaan-3 mission, the International Astronomical Union has approved the name ‘Shiv-Shakti’ for the mission’s landing site. The name, which symbolizes the masculine (Shiva) and feminine (Shakti) duality of nature, was originally proposed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The acceptance of this name by the IAU Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature signifies the international recognition of the site and its cultural significance. Stay tuned for more updates on these fascinating cosmic discoveries on ‘Poh Diaries’.
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