The Milky Way swallows another neighbour

The nearest galaxy to our own Milky Way has been revealed. It is so close that the Milky Way is gradually consuming it by pulling in its stars. But it will be few billion years before it is entirely swallowed up.

The previously unknown galaxy lies about 25,000 light years from Earth and 42,000 light years from the centre of the Milky Way, beyond the stars in the constellation Canis Major. It is twice as close to the centre of our galaxy than the previous record holder, the Sagittarius Dwarf Galaxy, which was discovered in 1994.
Geraint Lewis, at the University of Sydney, Australia, was one of the international team that uncovered the galaxy. 'It is an important discovery because it highlights that the Milky Way is not in its middle age - it is still forming.

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