Tracing the Galactic Past: How Precession Shapes the Milky Way’s Stellar Streams
Elena Asencio and collaborators studied 91 Milky Way stellar streams to see if their orbits align with the Vast Polar Structure (VPOS). They found no strong alignment overall, but more distant streams showed greater clustering, likely because precession disrupts inner orbits over time. Simulations of a past MW–Andromeda fly-by predict such patterns, suggesting a common origin could be confirmed by finding more distant streams beyond ~150 kpc.
Peering Inside WASP-43b: Exploring Tidal Decay and Orbital Evolution
Researchers studied the ultra-hot Jupiter WASP-43b using data from HARPS, JWST, and other sources, detecting tidal decay and apsidal precession for the first time in an exoplanet system. These phenomena reveal strong gravitational interactions with its host star but raise unanswered questions about the planet's unique dynamics. The findings provide critical insights into the internal structure and evolution of hot Jupiters.