*Preprint available on arXiv:Scientific American: Fossil Galaxy May Be One of First Ever Formed
The stars in the nearby Segue 1 dwarf galaxy have fewer metals than any other galaxy known, suggesting the object is a relic from the baby universe
Apr 7, 2014 By Clara Moskowitz
A tiny galaxy circling the Milky Way may be a fossil left over from the early universe, astronomers say. A recent study* found that the stars in the galaxy, called Segue 1, contain fewer heavy elements than those of any other galaxy known, implying that the object may have stopped evolving almost 13 billion years ago. If true, Segue 1 could offer a window into the conditions of the early universe and reveal how some of the first galaxies came to be.
Segue 1 is very, very tiny. It appears to contain only a few hundred stars, compared with the few hundred billion stars in the Milky Way Galaxy. ...
Segue 1: An Unevolved Fossil Galaxy from the Early Universe
Anna Frebel (MIT), Joshua D. Simon (Carnegie), Evan N. Kirby(Irvine)
(Submitted on 24 Mar 2014. Accepted for publication ApJ)
Margarita