Spinning Stars and Galactic Clues: How Stellar Motions Reveal the History of Our Galaxy's Bulge
This study explores how stars move in the Milky Way’s bulge using simulations and observations. It finds that younger, metal-rich stars show strong movement patterns shaped by the galaxy’s central bar, while older, metal-poor stars do not. The results support the idea that the bulge formed mainly through internal processes, not galaxy mergers.
What Really Drains a Star’s Lithium? It’s Not Where It’s Been, But What It Is
Dantas et al. find that lithium depletion in stars is primarily driven by intrinsic properties like temperature, metallicity, and age—not by stellar motion. Outward-migrating stars appear more depleted simply because they are older and cooler. The study cautions against using lithium levels in such stars as indicators of the interstellar medium's composition.
Chasing a Galactic Starburst: Clues from the Milky Way’s High Proper-Motion Stars
This study uncovers a unique group of stars, called LAHN stars, that likely formed during a major merger between the Milky Way and the Gaia-Sausage/Enceladus galaxy. Their distinct chemical signatures and orbits suggest a burst of star formation triggered by the collision. These stars help reveal how such events shaped the Milky Way’s early evolution.