Astronomers are discovering that dwarf galaxies surrounding the Milky Way are becoming harder and harder to spot since they are likely disappearing. The Milky Way contains a big halo that contains smaller halos which house Magellanic clouds of varying sizes. According to Garrison-Kimmel, these dwarf satellites are actually being consumed by our galaxy, and this is why we are unable to properly detect them. The philosophy that Garrison-Kimmel holds, is that any galaxy that is close enough to the disk of the Milky Way Galaxy will likely be consumed.
Key Takeaways:
- Within the halo present in our galaxy, there are several mini halos that hold Magellanic clouds.
- In Garrison-Kimmel’s research, there are claims that the Milky Way Galaxy feeds off of galaxies close to the disk.
- There are said to be very few dwarf galaxies around the Milky Way galaxy due to its tendency to consume what surrounds it.
“Our galaxy is embedded within a massive dark matter cloud, or halo, that extends far beyond the iconic spiral disk.”
