Recent content by Slag

COOL, thank you all! My whole view of galaxies has been reconfigured!

Thanks, Nereid! I assume the "spiral" structure is due to the difference in angular velocity as the distance from the center increases, then? More of a "twisting" effect than the "vortex" I was previously assuming?

Copy. I'm no astrophysicist (hense why I'm asking such questions here) and have never claimed to be. I was always under the impression that the galaxy was slowly pulling into the "Sag A*" black hole. Perhaps I let the "whirlpool" shape of the spiral galaxy bias my views in this regard. Thanks...

So are we *not* moving towards the galactic center?

Quick questions for you astrophysicists out there: At what velocity do objects typically "fall" towards the galactic center? Or are we talking a positive acceleration? Assuming the sun were to survive long enough to reach the center, which it of course won't, how long would it take? Or do...