All articles tagged with #milky way
New eROSITA X-ray maps reveal the Local Hot Bubble around the Sun is jagged and extended, with a north-south temperature split and possible tunnels linking to neighboring cavities, suggesting the solar neighborhood is part of a connected, dynamic interstellar network shaped by past supernovae.
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.
New measurements from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory and ESA’s XMM-Newton suggest the Milky Way’s spiral arms extend about 10% farther and are roughly 3,500 light-years wider than previously estimated, based on X-ray echoes from gamma-ray bursts reflecting off dust in three arms (Perseus, Outer, and Outer Scutum–Centaurus). This direct geometric approach could revise our understanding of the galaxy’s mass distribution, rotation, and overall structure, though gamma-ray bursts are rare and the data come from only a handful of usable events.
Astronomers used light echoes from gamma-ray bursts observed by NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory and ESA’s XMM-Newton to geometrically measure distances to dust clouds in the Milky Way’s spiral arms, finding the Outer and Outer Scutum-Centaurus arms are about 10% farther away than previously thought; the method could revise estimates of the Milky Way’s mass and arm structure, with the most distant arm’s dust cloud about 3,500 light-years thick and only a handful of usable GRBs observed over 25 years.
Astronomers used X-ray echoes from rare gamma-ray bursts observed by NASA’s Chandra and ESA’s XMM-Newton to geometrically measure dust rings in the Milky Way’s spiral arms, finding the outer arms extend farther than previously known (one distant dust cloud about 3,500 light-years across). This geometry-based method, not dependent on the galaxy’s rotation, could prompt revisions to estimates of the Milky Way’s mass and structure, though its data are limited by the rarity of bright gamma-ray bursts.
Astronomers using X-ray data from NASA’s Chandra and ESA’s XMM-Newton measure dust-ring geometry created by distant gamma-ray bursts to map the Milky Way’s outer spiral arms, finding the arm in the far reaches is about 3,500 light-years wide and implying a potential update to the Galaxy’s size and mass; the method offers a geometry-based alternative to rotation-based estimates but relies on rare bright bursts, so more observations are needed.
July offers a chance to see the Milky Way’s galactic center from the Northern Hemisphere during Milky Way season; no telescope is needed—just dark skies away from city lights. The best viewing is around the new moon on July 14, with visibility often strongest from midnight to the early morning hours. The Fourth of July weekend may feature a bright moon until it wanes, which can hinder viewing, but around the new moon the sky should be darkest. Use the Summer Triangle as a guide and check local sunset/sunrise times for optimal viewing windows.
The European Space Agency's Euclid telescope released the largest visible-light image of the Milky Way's center, revealing more than 60 million stars in the galactic bulge along with nebulae and star clusters. The nine-pointing mosaic, captured in 2025, demonstrates Euclid's sharp, wide-field imaging that rivals Hubble over a much larger area.
July in New York City is prime for urban stargazing: Venus and Jupiter appear after sunset, the Milky Way becomes visible around the new moon, and the Summer Triangle anchors the eastern sky, with free telescope viewings across the five boroughs. Manhattanhenge returns on July 11, with sunsets framed by the city grid—best viewed from cross streets like 14th and 42nd, Tudor City, and Hunter’s Point South Park, and the AMNH hosting a block party nearby. There are also solar viewing events (July 5), a NASA/JWST-related talk on July 7, and overlapping meteor showers (Alpha Capricornids and Southern Delta Aquariids) peaking late July, though the full moon on July 29 dims the show; the Perseids begin in mid-August for a stronger display.
The European Space Agency’s Euclid space telescope produced the largest, most detailed visible-light image of the Milky Way’s center—the galactic bulge—showing more than 60 million stars in a mosaic of nine pointings. While no new microlensing events were identified during the 26-hour campaign, the data will enable precise mass measurements of known exoplanets and serve as a reference archive for future missions like NASA’s Roman telescope, supporting deeper exoplanet studies, brown dwarfs, binary stars, and galactic dust research.
The European Space Agency's Euclid space telescope produced the largest high‑resolution visible-light image of the Milky Way’s bright center—a nine‑exposure mosaic covering a region larger than the Moon and capturing about 60 million stars over 26 hours; color was added from the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope. While it won’t directly reveal new exoplanets, the data will help microlensing measurements weigh known and future planets and advance studies of dark matter and dark energy.
ESA’s Euclid telescope spent 26 hours in 2025 image‑capturing the Milky Way’s galactic bulge, yielding the largest high‑resolution visible-light image of the region with about 60 million stars and 51 known exoplanet systems. The dataset will help microlensing searches for planets—potentially revealing ice giants at wide orbits—and will serve as a time reference for past and future missions like the Roman Space Telescope, while advancing studies of stellar motions and galactic dust.
Astronomers are rethinking the Milky Way’s centre: the long-held view that a supermassive black hole (Sagittarius A*) sits at the heart may be challenged by a fermionic dark matter core that could explain the observed stellar motions and even mimic the black hole’s shadow. Distinguishing the scenarios hinges on precise orbital precession measurements, which future upgrades like GRAVITY+ and the Extremely Large Telescope (and next-gen EHT observations) could enable. If verified, the idea would reshape galactic dynamics and dark matter physics, forcing a rethink of how galaxies host and regulate their centres.
Astronomers using ALMA radio maps and NASA’s Chandra X-ray data detected a 3-light-year cone-shaped cavity around Sagittarius A*, the Milky Way’s supermassive black hole, indicating a previously unseen wind. The finding helps explain why our galaxy’s center appeared windless and provides a new observable for understanding how black holes influence their host galaxies.
June is a prime time in the Northern Hemisphere to shoot the Milky Way as the galaxy’s bright core climbs into the southeastern sky around 11:30 p.m. Local viewing windows are best between the last-quarter moon around June 8 and the days after the new moon around June 14, with dark skies crucial. Use a full‑frame DSLR/mirrorless with RAW, a sturdy tripod, and a wide lens (14–24 mm); set about f/2.8, ISO 3200–6400, and 10–25 second exposures, then manually focus and post‑process for contrast and color. Don’t forget compelling foregrounds to add depth, and consider southern destinations in July–September as the Milky Way moves across the sky.