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Milky Way Is Square(ish), According To New Map

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the ishy-science dept.

KentuckyFC writes "The structure of the Milky Way is notoriously difficult to work out because we see our galaxy edge on. That means nearer clouds and stars are superimposed on more distant ones and telling them apart is hard. However, astronomers have unveiled a new map based on velocity measurements made on 870 clouds of carbon monosulphide. This has revealed a number of new features of the Milky Way including a previously unknown spiral arm, some 30,000 light years from the galactic core. But the most surprising finding is that some of our galaxy's spiral arms are straight rather than curved, giving the Milky Way a distinctly square look. That's not quite as outrageous as it sounds. Astronomers know of a number of other galaxies with straight arms, such as the pinwheel galaxy M101. So ours probably looks something like this."

5 of 123 comments (clear)

  1. Ohhhhhhhhhh by scosco62 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    God: Who is Globular Cluster which includes HE 1523? Kids: MilkyWay SquarePants! God: Enormous and luminous and massive is he! Kids: MilkyWay SquarePants! God: If astronomical nonsense be something you wish, Kids: MilkyWay SquarePants! God: Then call in SETI and tune in the dish! I'm really really sorry about this.......

  2. Re:Misleading article by Himring · · Score: 5, Funny

    I figured voyager took that shot....

    --
    "All great things are simple & expressed in a single word: freedom, justice, honor, duty, mercy, hope." --Churchill
  3. A Barred spiral by pinguwin · · Score: 5, Informative

    Evidence of a few years ago, revealed that the Milky Way was a barred spiral, http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap050825.html, wonder how these two findings will mix.

  4. Re:My God, it's full of stars! by MyLongNickName · · Score: 5, Funny

    But hey, I am not 100,000 light years away to make that kind of judgment.

    I am. It is why I can never get first post.

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    See my journal for slashdot ID's by year. Mine created in 2005. http://slashdot.org/journal/289875/slashdot-ids-by-year
  5. Words without Story (or Pictures!) by MonsterTrimble · · Score: 5, Informative

    First off, the photo in the article is of the M101 Pinwheel Galaxy, not the Milky Way. Misleading, especially when you have to read all the way down to find out that tidbit and when the title includes 'New Map' we want to see the new map.

    Secondly, we've known for quite some time that the Milky Way isn't a classic spiral. This Article gives a pretty interesting breakdown plus actual pictures.

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    I call it 'The Aristocrats'