Hubble Finds Vast Reservoir of Gas Near Milky Way

AI Thread Summary
Astronomers have discovered a vast stream of gas near the Milky Way, significantly larger than previously estimated, which could extend the galaxy's ability to form new stars for billions of years. This finding addresses concerns about the Milky Way's gas shortage, suggesting that it has a more robust fuel supply than thought. The study has received praise from experts for its surprising results and implications for our understanding of galactic evolution. The research highlights the importance of the Magellanic Stream in providing essential materials for star formation. This discovery reshapes expectations for the Milky Way's future starmaking capabilities.
CygnusX-1
Messages
124
Reaction score
90
by Dr. Ken Croswell, author of The Alchemy of the Heavens

The Milky Way may have found a solution to its gas shortage. Astronomers had calculated that our home galaxy possesses only enough fuel to forge new stars for just a few billion more years. But scientists have now discovered that a long stream of gas falling into the Milky Way is four times as massive as previously thought and could power our galaxy's starmaking career for a long time to come.

"It's a very beautiful study with surprising results," says a leading astronomer who was not part of the project.

Full story is at ScienceNOW and includes an outstanding image of the Magellanic Stream.
 
Astronomy news on Phys.org
Well, someone's a bit gassy...
 

Thread 'Does it make sense to build new radio telescopes?'

TL;DR Summary: In 3 years, the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) telescope (or rather, a system of telescopes) should be put into operation. In case of failure to detect alien signals, it will further expand the radius of the so-called silence (or rather, radio silence) of the Universe. Is there any sense in this or is blissful ignorance better? In 3 years, the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) telescope (or rather, a system of telescopes) should be put into operation. In case of failure to detect...
View full post »
Thread 'Could gamma-ray bursts have an intragalactic origin?'

Thread 'Could gamma-ray bursts have an intragalactic origin?'

This is indirectly evidenced by a map of the distribution of gamma-ray bursts in the night sky, made in the form of an elongated globe. And also the weakening of gamma radiation by the disk and the center of the Milky Way, which leads to anisotropy in the possibilities of observing gamma-ray bursts. My line of reasoning is as follows: 1. Gamma radiation should be absorbed to some extent by dust and other components of the interstellar medium. As a result, with an extragalactic origin, fewer...
View full post »

Thread 'Could fast radio bursts be alien radar signals?'

Both have short pulses of emission and a wide spectral bandwidth, covering a wide variety of frequencies: "Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs) are detected over a wide range of radio frequencies, including frequencies around 1400 MHz, but have also been detected at lower frequencies, particularly in the 400–800 MHz range. Russian astronomers recently detected a powerful burst at 111 MHz, expanding our understanding of the FRB range. Frequency Ranges: 1400 MHz: Many of the known FRBs have been detected...
View full post »

Similar threads

The Most Distant Star in the Milky Way
Replies
7
Views
4K
Hubble Finds Origin of Huge Cloud Crashing into our Galaxy
Replies
2
Views
2K
Spectacular Spiral May Encircle Milky Way
Replies
4
Views
2K
Five Cepheids Detected on the Other Side of the Galaxy
Replies
2
Views
2K
What is the newly discovered explanation for the evolution of spiral galaxies?
Replies
8
Views
4K
Kapteyn's and Shapley's Milky Way - a comparison
Replies
2
Views
4K
Mathematica This Week's Finds in Mathematical Physics (Week 225)
Replies
1
Views
2K

Hot Threads

Recent Insights

Back
Top