Dwarf Galaxies

Dwarf Galaxies Latest News

A team of scientists in the US, led by Indian-origin astrophysicist Raga Deepika Pucha, recently discovered the largest samples of intermediate-mass black holes and dwarf galaxies with active black holes. 

About Dwarf Galaxies

• They are small galaxies that typically contain just a few billion stars, unlike their larger cousins, which can hold hundreds of billions.
• They are the most abundant type of galaxy in the universe but are difficult to detect due to their low luminosity, low mass, and small size.
• They are most commonly found in galaxy clusters, often as companions to larger galaxies.
  • Our Milky Way galaxy is orbited by more than 20 dwarf galaxies.
• They are thought to have been created by gravitational forces in the early stages of the creation of these larger galaxies, or as a result of collisions between galaxies, forming from streams of material and dark matter ejected from the parent galaxies. 
• Because most of them come from galaxy collisions, many dwarf galaxies are grouped into irregular shapes. 
  • However, some dwarf galaxies have spiral arms or look like mini-elliptical galaxies.

Dwarf Galaxies FAQs

Q1. What is the closest dwarf galaxy to Earth?

Ans. The closest dwarf galaxy to Earth is the Canis Major Dwarf Galaxy.

Q2. What galaxy is next to ours?

Ans. The Andromeda Galaxy (M31) is the closest major galaxy to the Milky Way.

Q3. What is the nearest black hole to Earth?

Ans. The nearest known black hole to Earth is Gaia BH1.

Source: TOI