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Thursday, October 28, 2010

Photo: Eight New Neighboring Galaxies Found, Scientists Announce


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Leo T, the small cluster of white stars in the center of the image above, is just one of eight neighboring dwarf galaxies found by astronomers in the past two years.

The other seven discoveries orbit the Milky Way, our own galaxy. But Leo T is just far enough that it is "free floating" in space, scientists say. Leo T is also by far the smallest and faintest galaxy ever found that may still be making new stars, experts add.

Image courtesy Mike Irwin, the SDSS-II Collaboration