Say hello to Heracles, a previously hidden galaxy that likely smooshed into the Milky Way billions of years ago.

Astronomers have unveiled a new chapter in its memoir with the discovery of a likely "fossil galaxy" hidden near its heart.

The proposed fossil galaxy is named Heracles for the Greek hero.

This illustration shows how Heracles fits into the heart of the Milky Way if it were seen from above.

To find Heracles, the team spotted stars that didn't match the Milky Way's.

We've seen evidence of dramatic galactic mergers in the Milky Way's deep past.