Galactic Cannibalism: The link between dwarf galaxies and globular star clusters

在像银河系这样的巨大星系中，明亮的球状星团的形成仍然是天体物理学中一个未解决的问题。星系同类相食是一种理论，认为它们是由矮星系因过于靠近巨型星系的引力场而分裂形成的。我们将使用新的双子座望远镜来测试这个理论，对球状星团、矮星系和我们新发现的超紧凑矮星系的特性进行敏感的比较，这可能是这个过程中缺失的环节。

The formation of bright globular star clusters in giant galaxies like our own Milky Way remains an unsolved problem in astrophysics. Galactic cannibalism is the theory that they formed by the disruption of dwarf galaxies that came too close to the gravitational field of giant galaxies. We will use the new Gemini Telescopes to test this theory with sensitive comparisons of the properties of globular clusters, dwarf galaxies and our newly-discovered ultra-compact dwarf galaxies which may be the missing link in this process.