'Little Lion' Galaxy May Be The Answer To How The Big Bang Happened

A faint galaxy around 30 million light years away may just be help scientists needed to learn more about the origins of the universe. Researchers have discovered a galaxy with the lowest metal level - or heavy chemical elements - ever observed in the star system. The galaxy, called AGC 198691, nicknamed Leoncino - or "Little Lion" offers astronomers the chance to see what conditions are like after the formation of the universe.

'Little Lion' galaxy roars new life into Big Bang theory https://t.co/rr9lCudy70 via @fxnscitech pic.twitter.com/V5Y7naIGX7

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Indiana University professor and co-author of the study, John Salzer said in a press release, "Finding the most metal-poor galaxy ever is exciting since it could help contribute to a quantitative test of the Big Bang. There are relatively few ways to explore conditions at the birth of the universe, but low-metal galaxies are among the most promising."

According to the Christian Science Monitor, right after the Big Bang, the only elements in the universe were hydrogen, helium, and a few other light elements. Metals were formed later on after the hydrogen and helium were combined to form stars. In tracking traces of metals in the galaxy, scientists were able to get an estimate on how much evolution and star production there has been in the galaxy.

Alec Hirschauer, lead author of the study said that the low metal abundance is a sign of little stellar activity taking place in the galaxy, compared to most others.

For now, astronomers can estimate the metal abundance in the galaxy by analyzing the way light is emitted - spectroscopic observations, for instance, enable them to view the full light spectrum, the same way a prism can disperse sunlight to form into a rainbow. It has been noted that the presence of these elements create different types of light.

But why is the Little Lion especially exciting for astronomers?

Finding low-metal abundant galaxies is challenging nowadays, considering that they are correlated with the beginning of the universe. But despite being 30 million light-years away, it is still considered as part of our "local universe" which makes is easier for astronomers to study - getting them nearer than ever in solving the mystery on how the universe actually started.