A Dwarf Galaxy’s Second Act: Tracing Multiple Crossings of Gaia–Enceladus Through the Milky Way
This paper shows that the Gaia–Enceladus/Sausage merger happened through multiple passages across the Milky Way rather than a single event. By analyzing stellar motions and chemical abundances, the authors identify two distinct stellar populations stripped at different times. Chemical evolution models support an inside-out formation of the progenitor galaxy, explaining the observed differences.
Mapping Our Stellar Neighborhood: What Nearby Stars Reveal About the Milky Way
This paper combines Gaia and GALAH DR4 data to study about 6,000 stars within 100 pc of the Sun. The authors find that the local stellar population is dominated by FGK main-sequence stars with a median age of ~1.6 Gyr and slightly sub-solar metallicity. Most stars belong to the Galactic disc, with only a small halo component, setting the stage for future detailed chemo-dynamical studies.
Mapping Our Galaxy in Unprecedented Detail: Why the Milky Way Needs a New Stellar Census
The paper argues that fully understanding how the Milky Way formed requires a new, Galaxy-wide map that combines stellar motions, chemistry, and ages. Current and planned surveys lack the precision and coverage needed, especially in the disc midplane and bulge. The authors propose a future large spectroscopic facility to finally reconstruct the Milky Way’s formation and evolution in detail.
Is the Milky Way Really Slowing Down? A Closer Look at the Galaxy’s Rotation Curve
Klacka and Šturc argue that recent claims of a declining Milky Way rotation curve result from using incorrect equations suited for flat disks, not spherical systems. When the correct spherical models are applied, the rotation curve appears flat, consistent with other spiral galaxies, suggesting no unusual drop in velocity or dark matter content.