Astronomers Detect the Faint Glow of Stars in Between Galaxies

Light 'between' the groups of galaxies – the "intra-group light" – however dim, is radiated from stars stripped from their home galaxy. Image Credit: MARTÍNEZ-LOMBILLA ET AL./UNSW SYDNEY

Not all stars are members of galaxies. Some stars exist in the space between galaxies, though they didn’t form there. They’re called intra-group stars, and astronomers study them by observing their light, called intra-group light (IGL.)

They’re challenging to observe because their light is extremely faint and overpowered by the light of nearby galaxies.

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