Milky Way could be bigger and more lopsided after new arm measurements
TL;DR
New gamma-ray burst echoes mapped two of the Milky Way’s largest spiral arms, suggesting they’re about 10% farther from Earth than previously thought. The finding implies the galaxy may be wider and more massive, with asymmetry in its shape, prompting scientists to revisit estimates of the Milky Way’s size and mass.
- 'Astronomers have to revise estimates': The Milky Way may be larger, heavier and more lopsided than we realized Live Science
- NASA’s Chandra Examines Milky Way at Arms’ Length NASA Science (.gov)
- Our Milky Way galaxy might be larger than we thought Space
- The Milky Way's Arms Reach Out Further Than we Thought Universe Today
- The Loving Embrace of the Milky Way Nautilus | Science
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