Galactic archaeologists find stars in the Milky Way came from another galaxy 12 billion years ago
Astronomers have identified stars in the Milky Way that originated from a separate galaxy approximately 12 billion years ago. This discovery provides new insights into the early, violent formation history of our galaxy.
Why it matters
Understanding the origins of the Milky Way helps scientists refine models of galaxy evolution and the history of the universe.
An illustration shows a stage in the predicted merger between our Milky Way galaxy and the neighboring Andromeda galaxy, as it will unfold over the next several billion years. NASA; ESA; Z. Levay and R. van der Marel, STScI; T. Hallas; and A. Mellinger Galactic archaeologists find stars in the Milky Way came from another galaxy 12 billion years ago Published: August 17, 2026 7:05pm EDT https://theconversation.com/galactic-archaeologists-find-stars-in-the-milky-way-came-from-another-galaxy-12-billion-years-ago-289860 https://theconversation.com/galactic-archaeologists-find-stars-in-the-milky-way-came-from-another-galaxy-12-billion-years-ago-289860 Link copied Share article Share article
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Look up on a dark night and the Milky Way appears as a calm band of stars across the sky. But our galaxy has a violent past.
For more than 13 billion years it has grown through star formation and mergers with other galaxies. We already know that several substantial galaxies helped build the young Milky Way.
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