Intergalactic star

High school (ages 12+)
Space & Astronomy

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/intergalactic-star

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the definition?Stars not gravitationally bound to any galaxy, residing in the intergalactic medium
2. What is the observational characteristics?Extremely faint, high velocities, often found in regions devoid of galactic structures
3. How do intergalactic stars leave their galaxies?They can be ejected during galaxy mergers, by the powerful pull of supermassive black holes, or from interactions in binary star systems.
4. Why do scientists study intergalactic stars?They help scientists learn about past galaxy collisions, the history of the universe, and the hidden dark matter that pulls on them.

Intergalactic Medium (IGM): The tenuous plasma and gas that exists in the space between galaxies, constituting the majority of baryonic matter in the universe.
Tidal Forces: Gravitational forces that stretch an object, with the pull being stronger on the near side than the far side, often leading to disruption.
Nucleosynthesis: The process by which new atomic nuclei are created from pre-existing nucleons (protons and neutrons) and nuclei in stars and during the Big Bang.