Milky Way May Host 100 Hidden Satellite Galaxies

Recent research led by Durham University indicates that the Milky Way may be orbited by up to 100 previously undetected faint satellite galaxies, compared to the approximately 60 currently known. Scientists used advanced supercomputer simulations and mathematical models to predict that these 'orphan galaxies' have lost most of their dark matter due to the Milky Way's gravitational effects, making them extremely hard to detect. The findings were presented at the National Astronomy Meeting 2025 in Durham. Confirmation of these galaxies would strongly support the Lambda Cold Dark Matter (LCDM) model of galaxy formation and evolution. Upcoming instruments, such as the Rubin Observatory’s LSST camera, could soon enable astronomers to observe these hidden galaxies. This research has significant implications for understanding the Milky Way, dark matter, and cosmology.