A New Map of ‘Empty’ Space Challenges a Tranquil Picture of the Galaxy
For decades, astronomers treated the interstellar medium as a static backdrop to the goings-on of the universe.
For decades, astronomers treated the interstellar medium as a static backdrop to the goings-on of the universe.
The short version
- Now, a wave of 3D mapping is bringing the interstellar medium’s dynamic nature into focus.
- The post A New Map of ‘Empty’ Space Challenges a Tranquil Picture of the Galaxy first appeared on Quanta Magazine.
- An editorially independent publication supported by the Simons Foundation.
What happened
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Why it matters
In 2010, the Hubble Space Telescope released this image of a pillar of gas and dust in the Carina nebula that’s about 3 light-years — roughly 18 trillion miles — tall.
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