The Milky Way is orbited by several loads of satellites , smaller galaxies much smaller than our own . The handsome of them is called the Large Magellanic Cloud ( LMC ) , and new research suggests that the LMC might have a small planet of its own .
An international research team , led by Nicolas Martin from the Observatory of Strasbourg in France , found a diminished stellar organization , called SMASH 1 , 29 light - years in r that is in all likelihood relate to the LMC . The system is quite small and is about 186,000 light - years from the Milky Way .
" It is very likely because its distance from us and position on the sky places it in the sphere of influence of influence of the LMC , " Martin toldPhys.org . " But it ’s also possible that its speed means its orbit is not bound to the LMC . Only follow - up observations would unequivocally reassert the connection . "
In a report , availableonlineand take over for publishing in the Astrophysical Journal Letters , the research worker discuss how SMASH 1 is similar to another likely satellite of the LMC known as NGC 1841 . Both of them are within the potential well of the LMC even though they are found at a significant space from it , with SMASH being slenderly closer at 42,000 weak - years out .
The origin of SMASH 1 is indecipherable . It could be a fragment of the LMC formed during an fundamental interaction with the Small Magellanic Cloud ( another artificial satellite of the Milky Way ) , or it might have formed in its current emplacement . While it is very small , it has about 200 times the luminosity of the Sun , and even though it would be very bright if we were close to it , it was a hay - shape needle in a haystack for the stargazer .
" It is n’t little to find such a faint leading system , " Martin say . " To discover SMASH 1 , it is necessary to remove the contamination of much more legion foreground wizard by select only stars with the ripe coloring material and order of magnitude . "
The uncovering is part of the Survey of the Magellanic Stellar History ( SMASH ) , which is endeavor to interpret how the big and little Magellanic Clouds have evolved over clip .
The team is planning follow - up observations to measure the three - dimensional speed of the cluster . That should provide enough information to forecast if smashingly 1 does indeed go to the LMC .
[ H / T : Phys.org ]
