Gaia Space Telescope Discovers Ancient Stellar Streams Shiva and Shakti
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Discovery | Gaia space telescope discovered two ancient stellar streams, Shiva and Shakti. |
| Lead Researcher | Khyati Malhan from Max Planck Institute for Astronomy (MPIA), Germany. |
| Age of Streams | Approximately 12 billion years old. |
| Mass | Each stream comprises about 10 million suns. |
| Star Age | Stars are 12 to 13 billion years old. |
| Location | Situated towards the heart of the Milky Way. |
| Formation | Formed as separate fragments that merged into one galaxy early in its history. |
| Orbital Characteristics | Shakti stars have more distant, circular orbits compared to Shiva. |
| Symbolism | Named after Shiva and Shakti, divine figures in Hindu philosophy. |
| Mission | Gaia launched in December 2013 by European Space Agency. |
| Objective | To create a detailed 3D map of the Milky Way and study astronomical phenomena. |
| Future Prospects | Upcoming Gaia data releases may provide further insights into galaxy formation. |