It's Either the Milky Way's Farthest Known Star Cluster or the Smallest Known Galaxy.

How do you distinguish a galaxy from a mere cluster of stars? That's easy, right? A galaxy is a large collection of millions or billion of stars, while a star cluster only has a thousand or so. Well, that kind of thinking won't get you a Ph.D. in astronomy! Seriously, though, the line between galaxy and star cluster isn't always clear. Case in point, UMa3/U1.

May 5, 2025 - 20:05
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It's Either the Milky Way's Farthest Known Star Cluster or the Smallest Known Galaxy.

It's Either the Milky Way's Farthest Known Star Cluster or the Smallest Known Galaxy.

How do you distinguish a galaxy from a mere cluster of stars? That's easy, right? A galaxy is a large collection of millions or billion of stars, while a star cluster only has a thousand or so. Well, that kind of thinking won't get you a Ph.D. in astronomy! Seriously, though, the line between galaxy and star cluster isn't always clear. Case in point, UMa3/U1.