This is scientific Americans 60 second science. I'm Steve Mursky. Got a minute?

Our galactic home, the Milky Way, is big.

Most galaxies are far smaller, and it's not easy being one of

those little galaxies a big galaxy's gravity can rob their gas and gas creates new

stars so losing gas spells the end of star-making. That's what happened in nearly all the

small galaxies orbiting the Milky Way. But a small galaxy can still succeed. Take the example of Leo P.

Discovered in 2013 the Galaxy Leo P lies some 5.3 million

light years from Earth and it contains only about a hundred thousandths as many stars as the Milky Way, but it's

thriving nevertheless.

So what's Leo P's secret for success?

Pretty simple.

Steer clear of gas-grabbing big galaxies.

Lio P still has lots of gas.

In fact, Lio P's gas outweighs its stars.

Astronomers use the Hubble Space Telescope to study the small galaxy and publish their findings recently in the astrophysical journal.

All that gas means that Leo P can keep making new stars, so the diminutive galaxy has a bright future as long as it keeps

obeying the number one rule of survival don't let any behemoth siphon off your

gas. Thanks for the minute for Scientific Americans 60 Second Science, I'm Steve Mursky.