Unveiling the Power of Young Star Clusters with Gaia's Help
Young star clusters release energy through stellar winds, potentially driving cosmic ray production and gamma-ray emission. Using Gaia DR2 data, researchers estimated the mass and wind luminosity of 387 clusters, finding values up to significant particle acceleration and gamma-ray production. This study highlights the role of stellar winds in high-energy astrophysics and provides a foundation for further exploration of particle acceleration in the galaxy.
Unraveling the Milky Way's Warp: Insights from Open Clusters
Peng and He analyzed the Milky Way's warp using open star clusters, revealing a flattening trend influenced by a local tilt in the Galactic disk near the Sun. They found systematic differences between dynamical and geometric warp measurements, with older clusters showing more pronounced warping. The study refined the Sun's vertical velocity and highlighted dynamic changes in the warp’s structure, challenging earlier models and paving the way for future research.