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Three ultra-faint Milky Way satellite candidates identified

Research area:physics-astronomyastrophysics-stellar

What the study found

The study reports three Milky Way satellite candidates: Carina IV, Phoenix III, and DELVE 7. The authors describe all three as extremely faint systems made of old, metal-poor stars.

Why the authors say this matters

The authors note that Phoenix III is the faintest known satellite in the extreme outer stellar halo, and DELVE 7 is the faintest known satellite beyond 20 kiloparsecs from the Galactic center. They also say Carina IV appears unlikely to be associated with the Large Magellanic Cloud.

What the researchers tested

The candidates were identified in the third data release of the DECam Local Volume Exploration survey, or DELVE, by cross-matching results from two independent search algorithms. The team used Gaia proper motions and DECam CaHK photometry to examine Carina IV, and reported masses and sizes for all three systems.

What worked and what didn't

Carina IV has a half-light radius consistent with known dwarf galaxies, and Phoenix III does as well. DELVE 7 is very compact and seems more likely to be a star cluster, although its nature remains ambiguous without spectroscopic follow-up. The member stars in Carina IV are described as metal poor.

What to keep in mind

The abstract says DELVE 7 remains ambiguous without spectroscopic follow-up. It also presents these systems as candidates, so their classifications are not fully settled in the available summary.

Key points

  • Three Milky Way satellite candidates were reported: Carina IV, Phoenix III, and DELVE 7.
  • All three are described as extremely faint, old, and metal-poor systems.
  • Carina IV and Phoenix III have half-light radii consistent with dwarf galaxies.
  • DELVE 7 is very compact and may be a star cluster rather than a galaxy.
  • Phoenix III is reported as the faintest known satellite in the extreme outer stellar halo.
  • DELVE 7 is reported as the faintest known satellite beyond 20 kiloparsecs from the Galactic center.

Disclosure

Research title:
Three ultra-faint Milky Way satellite candidates identified
Authors:
Chin Yi Tan, W. Cerny, Andrew B. Pace, J. A. Sharp, K Overdeck, A. Drlica-Wagner, J. D. Simon, Burçı̇n Mutlu-Pakdı̇l, D. J. Sand, A. M. Senkevich, Denis Erkal, P. S. Ferguson, F. Sobreira, Kaia R. Atzberger, Jeffrey L. Carlin, Anirudh Chiti, Denija Crnojević, Alexander P. Ji, L. C. Johnson, T. S. Li, Guilherme Limberg, C. E. Martínez-Vázquez, G. E. Medina, Vinicius M. Placco, A. H. Riley, Erik Tollerud, A. K. Vivas, T. M. C. Abbott, M Aguena, O. Alves, D. Bacon, S. Bocquet, D. Brooks, D. L. Burke, R Camilleri, J. A. Carballo-Bello, A. Carnero Rosell, J. Carretero, Ting-Yun Cheng, Yumi Choi, L. N. da Costa, M. E. S. Pereira, T. M. Davis, J. De Vicente, S. Desai, P. Doel, S. Everett, B. Flaugher, J. Frieman, J. García-Bellido, D. Gruen, G. Gutierrez, S. R. Hinton, D.L Hollowood, D. J. James, K. Kuehn, S. Lee, J.L Marshall, J. Mena-Fernández, F. Menanteau, R Miquel, J Myles, M. Navabi, David L. Nidever, N. E. D. Noël, R. L. C. Ogando, A. A. Plazas Malagón, A. Porredon, S Samuroff, E. Sánchez, D Sanchez Cid, I Sevilla-Noarbe, M. Smith, Guy S. Stringfellow, E. Suchyta, M. E. C. Swanson, V. Vikram, A. R. Walker, A. Zenteno
Institutions:
Australian Astronomical Observatory, Australian Astronomical Optics, California Institute of Technology, Carnegie Institution for Science, Carnegie Observatories, Center for Astrophysics Harvard & Smithsonian, Central University of Kerala, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas, Medioambientales y Tecnológicas, Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas, Medioambientales y Tecnológicas, Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas, Medioambientales y Tecnológicas, Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas, Medioambientales y Tecnológicas, Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas, Medioambientales y Tecnológicas, Centro de Tecnologia da Informação Renato Archer, Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory, Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory, Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory, Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory, Community Science and Data Center, Community Science and Data Center, Dartmouth College, Durham University, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, Gemini North Observatory, Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad, Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats, Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules, Institute for High Energy Physics, Institute for High Energy Physics, Institute for High Energy Physics, Institute of Astronomy, Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology, Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology, Laboratoire de Physique Subatomique et de Cosmologie, Laboratório Interinstitucional de e-Astronomia, Laboratório Interinstitucional de e-Astronomia, Laboratório Interinstitucional de e-Astronomia, Laboratório Interinstitucional de e-Astronomia, Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, Lancaster University, LMU Klinikum, LMU Klinikum, Lowell Observatory, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Lund University, Macquarie University, Mitchell Institute, Montana State University, National Center for Supercomputing Applications, National Center for Supercomputing Applications, National Observatory, Northeastern University, Northwestern University, NSF NOIRLab, NSF NOIRLab, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Princeton University, Ruhr University Bochum, Simons Foundation, Simons Foundation, Simons Foundation, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Space Telescope Science Institute, Stanford University, Stanford University, Texas A&M University, The University of Queensland, The University of Queensland, The University of Queensland, Trieste Astronomical Observatory, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Universidad de La Laguna, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Universität Hamburg, Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté, Université Grenoble Alpes, University College London, University College London, University of Chicago, University of Chicago, University of Chicago, University of Chicago, University of Chicago, University of Chicago, University of Chicago, University of Chicago, University of Groningen, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, University of Michigan, University of Portsmouth, University of Surrey, University of Surrey, University of Surrey, University of Surrey, University of Tampa, University of Tarapacá, University of Toronto, University of Toronto, University of Virginia, University of Virginia, University of Zurich, Valongo Observatory, Yale University
Publication date:
2026-03-11
OpenAlex record:
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