A team of Indian astronomers has discovered that UBC 63, previously identified as a single star cluster, is actually made up of two distinct clusters that passed remarkably close to each other millions of years ago. Located around 4,892 light years from Earth, UBC 63 was earlier classified as a sparsely populated Galactic open cluster. The discovery has revealed two separate stellar systems, now designated UBC 63A and UBC 63B, offering researchers a rare opportunity to study how close encounters between star clusters influence their structure and evolution. According to a release by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), the finding was made using data from the European Space Agency's (ESA) Gaia mission. The research team combined astronomical observations, machine learning techniques and advanced computer simulations to establish that the two groups of stars have different ages and evolutionary histories. Read more - 'Chernobyl-like' blackout soon: 'Godfather of AI' predicts crisis this year or next; Nobel laureate Geoffrey Hinton warns of risks to financial markets & power systems UBC 63 star cluster discovery: How did astronomers identify two clusters? UBC 63 had received relatively little attention in earlier astronomical studies, with preliminary estimates suggesting that it was a single cluster. The research team initially set out to investigate star formation dynamics within the stellar group using observations from the Gaia mission, which provides highly precise measurements of the positions and movements of stars across the Milky Way. During the investigation, researchers noticed that the brightness and colours of the stars formed two distinct sequences in the colour-magnitude diagram. This is an important astronomical tool used to examine the properties and evolutionary stages of stars. Live Events The observation suggested that UBC 63 might contain two separate stellar populations rather than one cluster. Further examination of stellar movements and other properties, supported by machine learning methods and advanced dynamical simulations, confirmed the presence of two distinct clusters, UBC 63A and UBC 63B. UBC 63A and UBC 63B have different ages One of the most significant findings was the considerable difference in the ages of the two clusters. According to the DST release, UBC 63A is approximately 21 million years old, making it the younger cluster. UBC 63B, meanwhile, is estimated to be around 562 million years old. The substantial age difference indicates that the two stellar systems did not originate as a single cluster. Star clusters are groups of stars that form from the same large reservoirs of gas and dust. Their subsequent evolution is influenced by their own gravitational forces as well as interactions with the wider Galactic environment. The discovery of two clusters with different formation histories in such close proximity provides an opportunity to understand how stellar systems interact and evolve. Two star clusters came within 23 light years of each other To understand how the two clusters came to occupy neighbouring regions of the Milky Way, the researchers simulated their movements through the Galaxy. The simulations revealed that when the younger cluster, UBC 63A, formed, the two systems were separated by approximately 60 parsecs, or around 196 light years. Their paths subsequently brought them remarkably close to each other about six million years ago, when the distance between them reduced to approximately seven parsecs, equivalent to around 23 light years. At present, UBC 63A and UBC 63B are approximately 26 parsecs, or 85 light years, apart. However, the researchers found that the two clusters are not gravitationally bound to each other. Instead, they are moving away from one another following their close encounter. Indian researchers use Gaia data to study star cluster evolution The discovery highlights how modern astronomical surveys can reveal stellar structures that may remain hidden when stars are observed only through their projected positions in the sky. The Gaia mission has enabled astronomers to study the positions, movements and properties of stars across the Milky Way with exceptional precision. Such information can help identify previously overlooked stellar populations and reconstruct their evolutionary histories. The research was led by Samrat Biswas, an INSPIRE Senior Research Fellow at Gauhati University, along with Biman J Medhi of Gauhati University. The team also included Sergio Messina of INAF: Catania Astrophysical Observatory; Zhanpeng Zhu of Shanghai Normal University; Songmei Qin of Shanghai Astronomical Observatory; Sukanta Deb of Cotton University; A H Sheikh, an INSPIRE Senior Research Fellow at Gauhati University; H S Das of Assam University; Motohide Tamura of the University of Tokyo; and Maheswar Gopinathan and Ram Sagar of the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), an autonomous institution under the Department of Science and Technology. Add as a Reliable and Trusted News Source Add Now! (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel)
Indian scientists discover hidden star clusters
A team of Indian astronomers has discovered that UBC 63, previously identified as a single star cluster, is actually made up of two distinct clusters that passed remarkably close to each other millions of years ago. Located around 4,892 light years from Earth, UBC 63 was earlier classified as a sparsely populated Galactic open cluster. The discovery has revealed two separate stellar systems, now designated UBC 63A and UBC 63B, offering researchers a rare opportunity to study how close encounters between star clusters influence their structure and evolution. According to a release by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), the finding was made using data from the European Space Agency's (ESA) Gaia mission. The research team combined astronomical observations, machine learning techniques and advanced computer simulations to establish that the two groups of stars have different ages and evolutionary histories. Read more - 'Chernobyl-like' blackout soon: 'Godfather of AI' predicts crisis this year or next; Nobel laureate Geoffrey Hinton warns of risks to financial markets & power systems UBC 63 star cluster discovery: How did astronomers identify two clusters? UBC 63 had received relatively little attention in earlier astronomical studies, with preliminary estimates suggesting that it was a single cluster. The research team initially set out to investigate star formation dynamics within the stellar group using observations from the Gaia mission, which provides highly precise measurements of the positions and movements of stars across the Milky Way. During the investigation, researchers noticed that the brightness and colours of the stars formed two distinct sequences in the colour-magnitude diagram. This is an important astronomical tool used to examine the properties and evolutionary stages of stars. Live Events The observation suggested that UBC 63 might contain two separate stellar populations rather than one cluster. Further examination of stellar movements and other properties, supported by machine learning methods and advanced dynamical simulations, confirmed the presence of two distinct clusters, UBC 63A and UBC 63B. UBC 63A and UBC 63B have different ages One of the most significant findings was the considerable difference in the ages of the two clusters. According to the DST release, UBC 63A is approximately 21 million years old, making it the younger cluster. UBC 63B, meanwhile, is estimated to be around 562 million years old. The substantial age difference indicates that the two stellar systems did not originate as a single cluster. Star clusters are groups of stars that form from the same large reservoirs of gas and dust. Their subsequent evolution is influenced by their own gravitational forces as well as interactions with the wider Galactic environment. The discovery of two clusters with different formation histories in such close proximity provides an opportunity to understand how stellar systems interact and evolve. Two star clusters came within 23 light years of each other To understand how the two clusters came to occupy neighbouring regions of the Milky Way, the researchers simulated their movements through the Galaxy. The simulations revealed that when the younger cluster, UBC 63A, formed, the two systems were separated by approximately 60 parsecs, or around 196 light years. Their paths subsequently brought them remarkably close to each other about six million years ago, when the distance between them reduced to approximately seven parsecs, equivalent to around 23 light years. At present, UBC 63A and UBC 63B are approximately 26 parsecs, or 85 light years, apart. However, the researchers found that the two clusters are not gravitationally bound to each other. Instead, they are moving away from one another following their close encounter. Indian researchers use Gaia data to study star cluster evolution The discovery highlights how modern astronomical surveys can reveal stellar structures that may remain hidden when stars are observed only through their projected positions in the sky. The Gaia mission has enabled astronomers to study the positions, movements and properties of stars across the Milky Way with exceptional precision. Such information can help identify previously overlooked stellar populations and reconstruct their evolutionary histories. The research was led by Samrat Biswas, an INSPIRE Senior Research Fellow at Gauhati University, along with Biman J Medhi of Gauhati University. The team also included Sergio Messina of INAF: Catania Astrophysical Observatory; Zhanpeng Zhu of Shanghai Normal University; Songmei Qin of Shanghai Astronomical Observatory; Sukanta Deb of Cotton University; A H Sheikh, an INSPIRE Senior Research Fellow at Gauhati University; H S Das of Assam University; Motohide Tamura of the University of Tokyo; and Maheswar Gopinathan and Ram Sagar of the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), an autonomous institution under the Department of Science and Technology. Add as a Reliable and Trusted News Source Add Now! (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel)
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