"Red nugget" galaxies were hiding in plain sight
Friday, September 13, 2013 - 09:30
in Astronomy & Space
In 2005 the Hubble Space Telescope spotted unusually small galaxies densely packed with red stars in the distant, young universe. They were nicknamed "red nuggets," not only because they are small and red but also their existence challenged current theories of galaxy formation, making them precious in astronomers' eyes.