22nd February, 2024
ANUPA MUKHERJEE
● Astronomers have discovered that a vast, wave-like structure of gas and young stars in our galaxy is not static but slowly moving snake-like. ● This structure, known as the Radcliffe Wave, explains how stars form in our galaxy.
● The Radcliffe Wave is a vast, undulating collection of interconnected stellar nurseries (regions where stars are born). ● It stretches 9,000 light-years and sits about 500 from our solar system at its closest point. ● It stretches 9,000 light-years and sits about 500 from our solar system at its closest point.
● New research reveals the Radcliffe Wave is not fixed but exhibits a peculiar wave-like motion. ● Scientists describe this motion as akin to a slowly slithering snake. ● This movement challenges current models of star formation in our galaxy.
● Possible reasons for the Wave's motion include: 1. Interaction with a smaller dwarf galaxy that may have passed through the Milky Way. 2. Ripples in the disk of dark matter, the invisible substance that holds our galaxy together.
● Studying the Radcliffe Wave helps astronomers understand how star formation occurs on a large scale in the Milky Way. ● Its movement hints at unseen forces shaping our galaxy and its evolution