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Three ultra-faint Milky Way satellite candidates identified

A deep space photograph showing a dense star field with a bright galactic core region in the center, displaying the structure of the Milky Way galaxy against the dark background of space.
Research area:AstronomyAstronomy and AstrophysicsAstronomy and Astrophysical Research

What the study found

The study reports three ultra-faint Milky Way satellite candidates: Carina IV, Phoenix III, and DELVE 7. The authors describe Carina IV and Phoenix III as consistent with dwarf galaxies, while DELVE 7 is so compact that it may instead be a star cluster.

Why the authors say this matters

The authors note that Phoenix III is the faintest known satellite in the extreme outer stellar halo, meaning the outer region of a galaxy made of stars, beyond 100 kiloparsecs. They also state that DELVE 7 is the faintest known satellite beyond 20 kiloparsecs, and that Carina IV is unlikely to be associated with the Large Magellanic Cloud.

What the researchers tested

The researchers searched the third data release of the DECam Local Volume Exploration survey, or DELVE, and identified candidates by cross-matching the results of two independent search algorithms. They then used Gaia proper motions, which measure how stars move across the sky, and DECam CaHK photometry, a type of color-based measurement, to study the candidate members.

What worked and what didn't

All three systems were described as extremely faint and made of old, metal-poor stellar populations. Carina IV and Phoenix III have half-light radii consistent with known dwarf galaxies, while DELVE 7 is very compact and remains ambiguous without spectroscopic follow-up, meaning observations that measure detailed light from stars.

What to keep in mind

The nature of DELVE 7 remains uncertain without spectroscopic follow-up. The abstract does not describe broader limitations beyond the need for additional observations to clarify DELVE 7.

Key points

  • Three satellite candidates were reported: Carina IV, Phoenix III, and DELVE 7.
  • Carina IV and Phoenix III were described as consistent with dwarf galaxies.
  • DELVE 7 was described as very compact and possibly a star cluster.
  • Phoenix III was reported as the faintest known satellite in the extreme outer stellar halo.
  • DELVE 7 was reported as the faintest known satellite beyond 20 kiloparsecs.

Disclosure

Research title:
Three ultra-faint Milky Way satellite candidates identified
Authors:
Chin Yi Tan, W. Cerny, Andrew B. Pace, J. A. Sharp, K Overdeck, A. Drlica-Wagner, J. D. Simon, Burçı̇n Mutlu-Pakdı̇l, D. J. Sand, A. M. Senkevich, Denis Erkal, P. S. Ferguson, F. Sobreira, Kaia R. Atzberger, Jeffrey L. Carlin, Anirudh Chiti, Denija Crnojević, Alexander P. Ji, L. C. Johnson, T. S. Li, Guilherme Limberg, C. E. Martínez-Vázquez, G. E. Medina, Vinicius M. Placco, A. H. Riley, Erik Tollerud, A. K. Vivas, T. M. C. Abbott, M Aguena, O. Alves, D. Bacon, S. Bocquet, D. Brooks, D. L. Burke, R Camilleri, J. A. Carballo-Bello, A. Carnero Rosell, J. Carretero, Ting-Yun Cheng, Yumi Choi, L. N. da Costa, M. E. S. Pereira, T. M. Davis, J. De Vicente, S. Desai, P. Doel, S. Everett, B. Flaugher, J. Frieman, J. García-Bellido, D. Gruen, G. Gutierrez, S. R. Hinton, D.L Hollowood, D. J. James, K. Kuehn, S. Lee, J.L Marshall, J. Mena-Fernández, F. Menanteau, R Miquel, J Myles, M. Navabi, David L. Nidever, N. E. D. Noël, R. L. C. Ogando, A. A. Plazas Malagón, A. Porredon, S Samuroff, E. Sánchez, D Sanchez Cid, I Sevilla-Noarbe, M. Smith, G. S. Stringfellow, E. Suchyta, M. E. C. Swanson, V. Vikram, A. R. Walker, A. Zenteno
Institutions:
Australian Astronomical Observatory, California Institute of Technology, Carnegie Institution for Science, Carnegie Observatories, Center for Astrophysics Harvard & Smithsonian, Central University of Kerala, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas, Medioambientales y Tecnológicas, Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas, Medioambientales y Tecnológicas, Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas, Medioambientales y Tecnológicas, Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas, Medioambientales y Tecnológicas, Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas, Medioambientales y Tecnológicas, Centro de Tecnologia da Informação Renato Archer, Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory, Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory, Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory, Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory, Community Science and Data Center, Community Science and Data Center, Dartmouth College, Durham University, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, Gemini North Observatory, Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad, Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats, Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules, Institute for High Energy Physics, Institute for High Energy Physics, Institute for High Energy Physics, Institute of Astronomy, Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology, Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology, Laboratoire de Physique Subatomique et de Cosmologie, Laboratório Interinstitucional de e-Astronomia, Laboratório Interinstitucional de e-Astronomia, Laboratório Interinstitucional de e-Astronomia, Laboratório Interinstitucional de e-Astronomia, Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, Lancaster University, LMU Klinikum, LMU Klinikum, Lowell Observatory, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Lund University, Macquarie University, McCormick (United States), McCormick (United States), Mitchell Institute, Montana State University, National Center for Supercomputing Applications, National Center for Supercomputing Applications, National Observatory, Northeastern University, Northwestern University, NSF NOIRLab, NSF NOIRLab, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Princeton University, Ruhr University Bochum, Simons Foundation, Simons Foundation, Simons Foundation, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Space Telescope Science Institute, Stanford University, Stanford University, Texas A&M University, The University of Queensland, The University of Queensland, The University of Queensland, Trieste Astronomical Observatory, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Universidad de La Laguna, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Universität Hamburg, Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté, Université Grenoble Alpes, University College London, University College London, University of Chicago, University of Chicago, University of Chicago, University of Chicago, University of Chicago, University of Chicago, University of Chicago, University of Chicago, University of Groningen, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, University of Michigan, University of Portsmouth, University of Surrey, University of Surrey, University of Surrey, University of Surrey, University of Tampa, University of Tarapacá, University of Toronto, University of Toronto, University of Virginia, University of Virginia, University of Zurich, Valongo Observatory, Yale University
Publication date:
2026-03-11
DOI:
10.3847/1538-4357/ae43e2
OpenAlex record:
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AI provenance: This post was generated by gpt-5.4-mini (OpenAI). The original authors did not write or review this post.

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