An evolutionary continuum from nucleated dwarf galaxies to star clusters
Systematic studies1–4 have revealed hundreds of ultra-compact dwarf galaxies (UCDs5) in the nearby Universe. With half-light radii rh of approximately 10–100 parsecs and stellar masses M* ≈ 106–108 solar masses, UCDs are among the densest known stellar systems6. Although similar in appearance to massive globular clusters7, the detection of extended stellar envelopes4,8,9, complex star formation histories10, elevated mass-to-light ratio11,12 and supermassive black holes13–16 suggest that some UCDs are remnant nuclear star clusters17 of tidal...
Source: nature.com
