Astronomers studying the star cluster Palomar 5 have uncovered a possible swarm of over 100 stellar-mass black holes within its core. Utilizing precise data from the Gaia observatory, the team reconstructed the cluster's stellar histories through detailed simulations. These simulations suggest the gravitational pull of numerous black holes likely displaced an unusually large proportion of stars from the cluster, forming its extensive tidal stream. This study implies that many globular clusters might harbor similar black hole populations and could ultimately dissolve into stellar streams. This discovery carries significance for understanding binary black hole formation and detecting elusive middleweight black holes.
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