Reconstructing Galaxy Histories from Globular Clusters

Abstract

Nearly a century after the true nature of galaxies as distant "island universes" was established, their origin and evolution remain great unsolved problems of modern astrophysics. One of the most promising ways to investigate galaxy formation is to study the ubiquitous globular star clusters that surround most galaxies. Recent advances in our understanding of the globular cluster systems of the Milky Way and other galaxies point to a complex picture of galaxy genesis driven by cannibalism, collisions, bursts of star formation and other tumultuous events.

Review Article published in Nature, 1 January 2004. 18 pages, 4 figures, pdf format only

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• Kinematical and dynamical properties of recently discovered bulge and disc star clusters with WINERED