Sources: 
Researchers have uncovered evidence of a long-lost galaxy, dubbed Loki, which was consumed by the Milky Way during its formative years. This conclusion arises from the discovery of twenty ancient metal-poor stars situated near the galactic disk, which are believed to be remnants of Loki.
Located approximately
7,000 light-years from Earth, these stars exhibit a chemical composition suggesting they are over
10 billion years old. The research team, led by Sestito, utilized data from the European Space Agency's Gaia telescope to identify the stars, noting that they may have originated from the same dwarf galaxy.
The study, which has the potential to reshape our understanding of the Milky Way's evolution, argues that the galaxy likely engaged in galactic cannibalism, absorbing smaller galaxies over billions of years as it expanded. Sestito noted, “The Milky Way stretched nearly
100,000 light-years and contains between
100 to 400 billion stars, making it a significant entity in cosmic history.”
The findings suggest that Loki's stars might still influence the galaxy's properties today, hinting at the complex and violent history of our galactic system. The composition of the stars indicates they were created during the universe's earliest epochs, possibly just a few billion years after the Big Bang.
Eleven of the stars were found in a prograde orbit, while nine were in a retrograde orbit, indicating their ancient origins. This discovery adds depth to the narrative of galactic evolution, revealing that the Milky Way's history is intertwined with its early interactions with other galaxies.
Sources: Researchers discovered ancient stars in the Milky Way, hinting at a lost galaxy named Loki that was absorbed early in the galaxy's history. These metal-poor stars, over 10 billion years old, offer clues to the Milky Way's formation and evolution, potentially changing our understanding of its past.
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