Des astronomes de l’Institut Max Planck (Allemagne) montrent que, comme dans d’autres galaxies, il existe une structure en forme d’anneau à l’intérieur de la Voie lactée. © den-belitsky, Adobe Stock

Astronomers have discovered a new secret of the Milky Way

Astronomers have developed advanced knowledge of the galaxies that litter our universe. But our Milky Way, still hides secrets. It also reveals something new: a ring of metallic stars around a galaxy.

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[EN VIDÉO] Milky Way: A simulation of a galaxy formation
The film shows a computer simulation of a galaxy-like galaxy. The film is moving fast forward in the simulated time from the last 13 billion years until today. The main galaxy grows as many smaller galaxies merge with it. Hercules appears to be one of the smallest galaxies in the Milky Way at the beginning of the process. © Ted McCarthy, Eagle

When we look at the sky at night, we believe in ourselves Eyes To reveal to us the beauties of the universe. The Astronomers, They first imagined telescopes opening up new frontiers for them. Today, they also have tools that allow them to see beyond the eyes. In this fieldInfrared, For example. Thus to overcome the obstacles of dust that have hidden our heart for so long Milky Way.

Let us remember that our earth goes somewhere in our hands Spiral galaxy. On the plane of his disk. Under these conditions, its structure is difficult to realize Milky Way. And its internal structure. But over the past decade, astronomers have used a lot of new observational data to feed their simulations and create realistic models for reality. The so-called forbidden galaxies. There is a band in itStars Centers – a bar – which emerges from a swelling – bulb.

Today, some Max Planck Institutional Researchers (Germany) Bring new details to this description. Thanks for the research done on Wavelengths From Near infrared On top of that Database Of Apogee Mission. He is studying in high school Resolution All stellar elements of the Milky Way. By combining this data, Kia will be able to retrieve the task, which levels and Movements Of the one billion stars, researchers were almost there. They needed sophisticated computer models to look beyond the galaxy and explore areas that were hitherto inaccessible. What to express in a new way Orbits 30,000 stars are located in the interior of the Milky Way.

Discover the history of the Milky Way

From there, astronomers developed maps of stellar densities. Metallicity And the age of this part of the Milky Way. Maps showing the center bar of our galaxy, a Ring system Rich Metals – Understand heavier components thanHydrogen And helium – and made up of young stars, about 7 billion years old, concentrated in the galaxy.

Similar rings have already been found inside the others Constellations. But the researchers were still wondering if there was one of us. They have the answer now.

The answer to tell them a little more about the history of Formation of our Milky Way. Astronomers estimate that the galaxy formed at least 7 billion years ago. The stars forming the newly observed ring must have formed continuously from an intrusion Gas After installing this bar.

What is the connection between the ring discovered by the researchers at the Institute Max is an unanswered question. Board And this Spiral weapons Of the Milky Way. As in other spiral galaxies, is gas piped to the interior of our galaxy as fuel for star formation at the center of the ring? To answer this, astronomers will need not only additional data but also accurate models.

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