JWST studies binary stars in the Small Magellanic Cloud

The formation and evolution of individual stars drive the broader development of their host galaxies, as stellar mass dominates the baryonic component of most systems. Because stars and their remnants constitute the bulk of a galaxy’s material, changes in the stellar population directly influence galactic dynamics, chemical enrichment, and structural transformation over cosmic time.

In the Milky Way, measurements indicate that stars and dead stars account for roughly 85 % of the galaxy’s baryonic mass within both the disk and the central bulge. This high proportion underscores the central role of stellar constituents in shaping the Milky Way’s evolution, reinforcing the view that understanding star formation and lifecycle processes is essential for modeling the past and future behavior of galaxies.