galaxy

Latest about galaxy

Astronomers discovered a 'break' in the Milky Way's Sagittarius spiral arm, looking toward the center of the galaxy (seen here in infrared).

Milky Way has a 3,000-light-year-long splinter in its arm, and astronomers don't know why

By Brandon Specktor published

Astronomers discovered a 3,000-light-year-long 'break' in the Milky Way's Sagittarius spiral arm, jutting out at a wild angle.

Cosmology
The three galaxies are yanking strands of material from each other as they spiral ever closer.

NASA has glimpsed our galaxy's fate in three-way galactic brawl

By Ben Turner published

Despite the apocalyptic appearances, galactic mergers are a frequent and essential part of a galaxy’s life cycle.

Cosmology
This radio band composite image of Arp 187, obtained by the VLA and ALMA telescopes (blue: VLA 4.86 GHz, green: VLA 8.44 GHz, red: ALMA 133 GHz), shows clear bimodal jet lobes. But the central nucleus (center of the image) is dark.

Astronomers spot 3,000 light-year 'light echo' of dying supermassive black hole

By Rahul Rao published

The "active galactic nucleus" phase of the supermassive black hole at the heart of the galaxy Arp 187 has apparently just ended.

Black Holes
Earth's curvature seen from space

How fast does the Earth move?

By JoAnna Wendel published

Our planet is constantly moving, racing around the sun and spinning on its axis. But how fast does it move?

Astronomy
Artist’s illustration of a galactic wind driven by a supermassive black hole located in the center of a galaxy. The intense energy emanating from the black hole creates a huge flow of gas that blows away the interstellar matter that is the material for forming stars.

Scientists spot earliest-known supermassive black hole 'storm'

By Mike Wall published

Scientists have found the earliest known "storm" generated by a supermassive black hole, a discovery that could shed considerable light on the coevolution of galaxies and their central black holes.

Black Holes
Pablo Ruiz *Riaño riano spain

Milky Way gallery: See awe-inspiring images of our galaxy

By Adam Mann published

Galactic beauty

Cosmology
Warped Milky Way

Our galaxy is warped, and scientists have no idea why

By Adam Mann published

New study fuels a debate over whether the galaxy's warp is moving.

Cosmology
Galaxy clusters in the "cosmic web."

Is there a pattern to the universe?

By Paul Sutter published

For decades, cosmologists have wondered if the large-scale structure of the universe is a fractal — that is, if it looks the same no matter how large the scale.

Cosmology
Scientists found the safest place for life in the Milky Way is about 26,000 light-years from its center. Shown here, Mars at left and the Milky Way’s galactic center low over the southern horizon at Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park, Alberta, in the summer of 2018.

Astronomers find the 'safest place' to live in the Milky Way

By Mara Johnson-Groh published

Astronomers have searched the entire Milky Way to identify the safest places to live. It turns out, we're in a pretty good spot.

Cosmology
This artist's concept shows what a gravity portal might look like.

'Gravity portals' could morph dark matter into ordinary matter, astrophysicists propose

By Paul Sutter published

Astrophysicists have a wild idea to explain the bizarre abundance of super-high-energy radiation shooting from the center of our galaxy: gravity portals.

Gravity
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