Cosmic Heist: The Milky Way's Pilfered Globular Clusters

Recent research suggests that a significant number of globular clusters in the Milky Way may have been stolen from other galaxies or cannibalized from intact companion galaxies. Astronomers have identified associations between these clusters and various dwarf galaxies, including the Sagittarius Dwarf Galaxy, the Fornax Galaxy, and the Magellanic Clouds. Studies have found that between 12% and 93% of clusters can be separated from their host galaxies, depending on their orbits and the mass of the galaxy. The research also identifies new globular clusters associated with these dwarf galaxies, bringing the total number of known associated clusters to 29. However, further investigation is needed to fully understand the complex 3-dimensional structure of these galaxies and confirm the associations.