The Hubble Telescope has revealed the existence of numerous “ghost” stars within giant galaxies. These stars wander like lost souls, emitting a hauntingly faint and ethereal light, as reported by Scitech Daily.
These stars are not gravitationally bound to any specific galaxy, as confirmed by a recent infrared survey conducted by the Hubble Space Telescope. The survey indicates that these stars have been roaming for billions of years.
When did they venture into the space between galaxies? The true origin of these orphaned stars remains a mystery.
There are numerous solitary stars wandering within colossal galaxies – Image: SCITECH DAILY.
Thanks to the Hubble Telescope, astronomers now possess knowledge about these wandering star populations. In fact, there is no feasible galaxy to call “home” for these stars.
The scattered and diffuse light emitted by these solitary stars contributes to the background light within galaxy clusters, thanks to their spectral eeriness.
The first clues about these solitary stars were discovered in 1951. In fact, the Hubble Telescope can easily detect their light today, which is only 1/10,000th of the brightness of the night sky as seen from ground-based telescopes.
Understanding the source of the light within galaxy clusters can provide astronomers with new insights into the history of these galactic conglomerates.
The question that has persistently puzzled astronomers is: How did these stars become scattered throughout galaxy clusters from the very beginning?
Some scientists propose the possibility that these stars were stripped away from their parent clusters or expelled during galaxy mergers. Others suggest that they were present early on during the formation of galaxy clusters billions of years ago.
Professor James Jee from Yonsei University in Seoul, South Korea, in a study published in the journal Nature, stated, “These stars were homeless during the initial phase of cluster formation. We do not precisely know what caused them to become wandering stars. However, somehow they were produced in large quantities during the early universe.”
“If we can identify the origins of these stars, we will gain a deeper understanding of the entire galaxy cluster’s history. Additionally, they may serve as tracers for the dark matter surrounding the galaxy cluster,” added Professor Hyungjin Joo, also from Yonsei University.
Dark matter is the invisible scaffolding of the universe, binding galaxies and galaxy clusters together.
Scientists hope that the capabilities and infrared sensitivity of NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope will significantly enhance the search for stars deep within galaxy clusters, leading to the unraveling of many mysteries.