A Cosmic Contrail: Clues from a Flyby in NGC 3627
Astronomers led by Zhao discovered a massive contrail of gas and dust in the galaxy NGC 3627, stretching over 20,000 light-years. The structure likely formed when a massive black hole or dwarf galaxy nucleus sped through the disk, compressing gas into a long, turbulent trail. This rare feature provides new clues for detecting hidden compact objects in galaxies.
Unveiling the Faint Edges of Star Clusters in the Milky Way
Chiti et al. used DELVE survey data to search for faint, extra-tidal features around 19 Milky Way globular clusters. They discovered a clear stellar envelope around NGC 5897 and tentative evidence around NGC 7492. Simulations suggest deeper surveys like LSST can improve detections, though additional techniques may still be needed.
Tracing the Origins of Globular Clusters Through Their Tidal Tails
Piatti analyzes simulated extra-tidal stars from Grondin et al. (2024) to test if they match real globular cluster tidal tails. While the tail widths align with in-situ formation, velocity dispersions suggest an external origin. The findings challenge assumptions about how stars escape clusters and imply that some clusters may have formed outside the Milky Way. This work highlights the need for refined simulations to better understand the galaxy’s history.