Milky Way could have 100 more satellite galaxies

Researchers at Durham University have made a significant prediction about the Milky Way galaxy. According to their new study, there could be between 80 and 100 more satellite galaxies orbiting the Milky Way than previously known. Currently, astronomers have identified about 60 satellite galaxies, but this new research suggests the total number could be much higher. The team used advanced supercomputer simulations and mathematical models to reach their conclusions, combining technology and theory to make their predictions.

Dr Isabel Santos-Santos, the lead researcher, explained that these findings could help scientists better understand dark matter, a mysterious substance that makes up about 25 percent of the universe. The research is based on the Lambda Cold Dark Matter (LCDM) theory, which is widely used to explain how the universe is structured. According to this theory, galaxies form in the centers of huge clumps of dark matter called halos. The new study suggests that many of the Milky Way's missing satellite galaxies are extremely faint because they have been stripped of almost all their dark matter by the Milky Way's own gravity. These faint galaxies, sometimes called 'orphan' galaxies, are difficult to spot in most simulations but should still exist in the real universe.

The researchers are hopeful that new technology, such as the Rubin Observatory LSST camera, will soon allow astronomers to detect these faint satellite galaxies. Dr Santos-Santos said that the next five years will be crucial for testing whether these predicted galaxies actually exist. If they are found, it would strongly support the LCDM theory and help scientists learn more about the nature of dark matter. The research used the Aquarius simulation and the GALFORM model, both developed at Durham University over the past twenty years. The findings are being presented at the Royal Astronomical Society's National Astronomy Meeting, which is being held at Durham University. This discovery could have a major impact on our understanding of the Milky Way and the universe as a whole.