Discovery and characterisation of Milky Way satellite galaxies

The research program will uncover previously unknown, optically elusive, dark matter-dominated dwarf galaxies orbiting our Milky Way. These ultra-faint stellar systems, the first to be discovered in the Southern Hemisphere, are prime laboratories crucial to study in a worldwide effort to understand the building blocks of giant galaxies. The expected results represent a major advancement in our knowledge of galaxy formation by assessing the stellar and dark matter properties of the most extreme galaxies known. They will lead to new insights into the nature of non-baryonic dark matter and the cosmic formation of chemical elements, thereby strengthening Australia's research capacity in one of the most exciting frontiers of basic research.