Scientists found possible earliest parts of the Milky Way and named them “Shiva and Shakti.”
Introduction: In a cosmic revelation that echoes the mystique of Hindu mythology, astronomers at the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy have uncovered the earliest building blocks of our Milky Way galaxy, aptly named “Shiva and Shakti.” These celestial entities, remnants of galaxies that collided and merged billions of years ago, hold the key to understanding the genesis of our galactic home.
Unraveling the Cosmic Dance : Picture this: galaxies, akin to celestial nomads, wander through the vast expanse of the universe. Among them, Shiva and Shakti emerge as significant players, their collision with an ancestral version of the Milky Way sparking a celestial dance that shaped the destiny of our galaxy. Like archaeological detectives, astronomers combed through data from the European Space Agency’s Gaia satellite and the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, piecing together the narrative of this cosmic collision.
The Merger’s Legacy: Galactic mergers are cosmic spectacles, setting in motion a series of events that sculpt the landscape of the universe. As Shiva and Shakti intertwined with their Milky Way counterpart, hydrogen gas clouds collided, birthing new stars in a cosmic crescendo of creation. Yet, amidst this stellar symphony, the challenge lay in deciphering the origins of each star, distinguishing between those born within the merging galaxies and those belonging to the Milky Way.
The Cosmic Signature: Harnessing the laws of physics, astronomers discerned a cosmic signature imprinted within the stellar populations. Stars, bearing the echoes of their progenitor galaxies, retained distinct energy and angular momentum profiles. Through meticulous analysis of stellar spectra data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, researchers identified clusters of metal-poor stars exhibiting characteristic energy-angular momentum combinations—a celestial fingerprint marking their lineage to Shiva and Shakti.
The Legacy Continues: Khyati Malhan, a researcher involved in this cosmic odyssey, articulated the significance of Shiva and Shakti in the Milky Way’s narrative. These ancient entities, nestled within the “poor old heart” of our galaxy, represent the dawn of its evolution towards grandeur. As we gaze into the cosmic abyss, these primordial remnants beckon us to unravel the mysteries of our celestial heritage, igniting the imagination with visions of galaxies past and future.
Conclusion: In the endless tapestry of the cosmos, Shiva and Shakti stand as celestial beacons, guiding our understanding of the Milky Way’s origins. Through their discovery, we glimpse the cosmic drama that shaped the galaxies we call home, reminding us of the intricate dance of creation that unfolds across the vastness of space and time. As we delve deeper into the cosmic expanse, may these ancient remnants inspire us to seek further revelations, unlocking the secrets of our cosmic lineage.
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