"Unveiling Shakti and Shiva: The Ancient Star Streams at the Heart of the Milky Way"

Astronomers have discovered two ancient streams of stars in the Milky Way, named Shakti and Shiva, which are believed to be among the galaxy's earliest building blocks. These structures, identified using data from the Gaia space telescope, may have originated from two distinct galaxies that merged with the Milky Way around 12 billion years ago. The discovery sheds light on the galaxy's turbulent early stages and provides insight into how galaxies form in the universe. The stars in Shakti and Shiva are "metal poor," containing lesser amounts of heavier elements, and their identification contributes to a better understanding of the Milky Way's formation and evolution.