Trending Now - Sun and Its Twins Left Galactic Center 4 Billion Years Ago

WHO:

Daisuke Taniguchi, Tokyo Metropolitan University

Takuji Tsujimoto, National Astronomical Observatory of Japan

European Space Agency (ESA)

WHAT:

The Sun and other Sun-like stars, or 'twins', migrated from the center of the Milky Way Galaxy.

The migration occurred around 4 to 6 billion years ago.

A catalogue of 6,594 solar twins was created using data from the Gaia satellite.

The Gaia satellite measured the positions, distances, and motions of about two billion stars.

WHERE:

The Milky Way Galaxy

Tokyo, Japan

WHEN:

The Sun is approximately 4.6 billion years old.

Gaia operated for just over 10 years, finishing its mission in 2025.

WHY:

The migration of the Sun from the center of the Galaxy brought it into a region more conducive to the emergence of life.

The timing of the migration suggests that the galactic bar was still forming, allowing for the escape of stars.

HOW:

The research team used data from the Gaia satellite to identify solar twins and analyze their ages.

The study corrected for 'selection bias' of stars that are easier to see.

(UPDATED March 16, 2026 19:23 UTC)

A team of researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University and the European Space Agency has revealed that the Sun and other Sun-like stars migrated from the center of the Milky Way Galaxy around 4 to 6 billion years ago. This study, which utilized data from the Gaia satellite to create a catalogue of 6,594 solar twins, indicates that this migration allowed the Sun to move into a region more favorable for the emergence of life. The Gaia satellite, which measured the positions, distances, and motions of about two billion stars over its ten-year mission, played a crucial role in correcting for selection bias in identifying these stars.