Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Article
  • Published:

Is the Galaxy losing Mass on a Time Scale of a Billion Years?

Abstract

If the galaxy has been losing mass in gravitational waves for longer than 109 yr at the rate recently indicated by Weber, it should contain no stars in bound orbits with periods exceeding 109 yr. Analysis of stellar motions indicates that the distribution of periods does have a cut-off close to 109 yr although this may be for other reasons.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Weber, J., Phys. Rev. Lett., 22, 1320 (1969).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  2. Kerr, F. J., Mon. Not. Roy. Astron. Soc., 123, 327 (1962).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  3. Kerr, F. J., Ann. Rev. Astron. Astrophys., 7, 39 (1969).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Schmidt, M., in Stars and Stellar Systems, 5 (Galactic Structure), (edit. by Blaauw and Schmidt) (Chicago, 1965).

    Google Scholar 

  5. Woltjer, L., in Stars ana Stellar Systems, 5 (Galactic Structure), (edit. by Blaauw and Schmidt) (Chicago, 1965).

    Google Scholar 

  6. Field, G. B., Rees, M. J., and Sciama, D. W., Comments Astrophys. Space Sci., 1, 187 (1969).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  7. Hadjidemetriou, J., Advances Astron. Astrophys., 5, 131 (1967).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Lynden-Bell, D., Observatory, 83, 23 (1962).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  9. Eggen, O. J., Lynden-Bell, D., and Sandage, A. R., Astrophys. J., 136, 748 (1962).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  10. Oort, J. H., Bull. Astron. Inst. Neth., 1, 133 (1922).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  11. Oort, J. H., Bull. Astron. Inst. Neth., 4, 269 (1928).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  12. Fricke, W., Astron. Nach., 277, 241 (1949).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  13. Oort, J. H., in Stars and Stellar Systems, 5 (Galactic Structure), (edit. by Blaauw and Schmidt) (Chicago, 1965).

    Google Scholar 

  14. Fricke, W., Astron. Nach., 278, 49 (1950).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  15. Eggen, O. J., Roy. Obs. Bull. No. 29 (1961).

  16. Eggen, O. J., Roy. Obs. Bull. No. 51 (1962).

  17. Arp, H. C., in Stars and Stellar Systems, 5 (Galactic Structure), (edit. by Blaauw and Schmidt) (Chicago, 1965).

    Google Scholar 

  18. Kinman, T. D., Mon. Not. Roy. Astron. Soc., 119, 559 (1959).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  19. Newkirk, J. M., Harvard Bull. No. 921, 15 (1952).

  20. Oort, J. H., Stellar Populations, 319 (North Holland, Amsterdam, 1958).

    Google Scholar 

  21. Hunter, C., and Toomre, A., Astrophys. J., 155, 747 (1969).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  22. Thackeray, A. D., Advances Astron. Astrophys., 2, 263 (1963).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Tifft, W. G., Mon. Not. Roy. Astron. Soc., 125, 199 (1963).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  24. Bok, B. J., Ann. Rev. Astron. Astrophys., 4, 95 (1966).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  25. Feast, M. W., Thackeray, A. D., and Wesselink, A. J., Mon. Not. Roy. Astron. Soc., 122, 433 (1961).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  26. Avner, E. S., and King, I. R., Astron. J., 72, 650 (1967).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

SCIAMA, D. Is the Galaxy losing Mass on a Time Scale of a Billion Years?. Nature 224, 1263–1267 (1969). https://doi.org/10.1038/2241263a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/2241263a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing