Astronomers using the Gemini North telescope on Mauna Kea have made a fascinating discovery, identifying a group of transitional galaxies in the Virgo Cluster, which could unlock the mysteries behind ultracompact dwarf galaxies, or UCDs. UCDs are known to be among the densest stellar systems in the universe, but their origins have puzzled astronomers since their discovery more than two decades ago. The research, led by an international team, sheds light on the theory that UCDs are the remnants of disrupted dwarf galaxies.