Aquarius Stream
Encyclopedia
The Aquarius Stream is a stellar stream located in the Milky Way Galaxy
. It is so named because most of the stars in the stream lie in the direction of the Aquarius constellation
. At its nearest point it is about 2000 light years from Earth; At its farthest it is about 30,000 light years away. It is the closest steller stream to Earth yet found, and the youngest having formed about 700 million years ago. The stream was discovered in late 2010 by a team of astronomers involved in the RAdial Velocity Experiment (RAVE) survey led by New Zealand
er Mary Williams.
Milky Way
The Milky Way is the galaxy that contains the Solar System. This name derives from its appearance as a dim un-resolved "milky" glowing band arching across the night sky...
. It is so named because most of the stars in the stream lie in the direction of the Aquarius constellation
Aquarius (constellation)
Aquarius is a constellation of the zodiac, situated between Capricornus and Pisces. Its name is Latin for "water-bearer" or "cup-bearer", and its symbol is , a representation of water....
. At its nearest point it is about 2000 light years from Earth; At its farthest it is about 30,000 light years away. It is the closest steller stream to Earth yet found, and the youngest having formed about 700 million years ago. The stream was discovered in late 2010 by a team of astronomers involved in the RAdial Velocity Experiment (RAVE) survey led by New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
er Mary Williams.
External links
- The Dawning of the Stream of Aquarius in RAVE Abstract of paper published in The Astrophysical Journal