Stellar stream beyond Milky Way offers new tool to map dark matter

AI Summary

Astronomers have discovered a stellar stream beyond the Milky Way, offering a novel tool to map dark matter. These globular cluster stellar streams preserve dynamical history and provide insights into galaxy evolution and dark matter properties.

In the image above, a faint trail of stars can be seen stretching across the galaxy. These structures, known as globular cluster stellar streams, are coherent stellar structures that retain a record of their dynamical history and can provide unique insights into the evolution of galaxies and the nature of dark matter.