ASTROSAT

How do dwarf galaxies assemble and grow over time, and what new insights has India's ASTROSAT telescope revealed about this process?

India's ASTROSAT telescope has provided groundbreaking observations showing that dwarf galaxies grow through a fascinating inward spiral process. Using the Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (UVIT), researchers discovered that young, large star-forming clumps form on the periphery of these galaxies and then spiral inward toward the galaxy's center over approximately a billion-year timescale. This discovery challenges existing theoretical models of galaxy evolution by revealing the "live formation" of distant dwarf galaxies. The study, led by researchers from multiple countries, demonstrates how material moves from the outskirts to contribute to galaxy growth. ASTROSAT's exceptional resolving power and deep field imaging capabilities were crucial in identifying these star-forming regions and tracking their movement patterns. These findings significantly advance our understanding of cosmic evolution and highlight the diversity in dwarf galaxy properties that current models struggle to explain.