A 21-year old California college student discovered a galaxy that was apparently swallowed up by another galaxy, according to media reports.
Michael Sandoval and his astrophysics professor at San Jose State have made an incredible discovery. They spotted what they now call a "hypercompact cluster," which is the powerful starry remains of one galaxy that has been swallowed by another.
The new discovery is touted to be the densest system of stars ever to be discovered. Sandoval was at liberty to name his discovery because currently no term that best describes the cluster exists. Astrophysics professor Aaron Romanowsky said he was proud of his student's discovery and claimed that Sandoval spotted the cluster during the first course he'd ever taken on the subject, making the find all the more remarkable.
According to an NBC Bay Area report, Sandoval turned to science and space when he was grieving the passing away of his mother, who died last October. He'd been living at home the past few years to take care of her during an illness, sometimes having to take her to the ER before heading to class the next day.
"I didn't want to be sitting home, feeling sorry for myself," Sandoval told the website. "That's not what she would have wanted, anyway."
The new discovery comes only a week after Sandoval's classmate Richard Vo discovered an unusual stellar object, which was the densest then. Vo's discovery was so significant he was flown to Hawaii and given time at the Keck Observatory to confirm his finding.
The discoveries are still waiting to be reviewed by other scientists. According to a Mercury News report, the names, locations and intricate details of both findings are being kept a secret until they have been published.
