Milky Way Galaxy Gets a New Look

Hey Space Placers!

Our home spiral galaxy, the Milky Way Galaxy, just got a new look and it involves our neck of the woods. The "Local Arm", a spiral arm that includes the Sun and us, went from being a minor feature to one that is on the same scale as other major arms.



Old picture: Local Arm a small "spur" of Milky Way.
 

 

New picture: Local Arm probable major branch of Perseus Arm.
CREDIT: Robert Hurt, IPAC; Bill Saxton, NRAO/AUI/NSF.
 
We can see portions of the Sagittarius Arm in summer and the Perseus Arm in winter.


Sky Guy in VA

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