Scientists reveal the hidden structure and size of our galaxy
Our galaxy is not what we thought it was. According the paper Rings and Radial Waves in the Disk of the Milky Way—published in the Astrophysical Journal—we should call it the Corrugated Cardboard Galaxy, as shown in the diagram above. Even more surprising: It’s 50-percent larger than previously thought.
"According to Heidi Jo Newberg—professor at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and lead author for this paper—"in essence, what we found is that the disk of the Milky Way isn't just a disk of stars in a flat plane—it's corrugated. As it radiates outward from the sun, we see at least four ripples in the disk of the Milky Way. While we can only look at part of the galaxy with this data, we assume that this pattern is going to be found throughout the disk.""
Interesting. So the number and disposition of galactic satellites determines the shape and disposition of spiral galaxies.
+Paul Spoerry
"As it radiates outward from the sun, we see at least four ripples in the disk of the Milky Way."
You mean as it radiates outward from the galactic central point, right. Unless there is another discovery that has been made, and something else I don't know about the Galaxy (which could fill a small solar system). I thought that the general consensus was that there was a super-massive black hole at the center of the Galaxy (but again, I'm not an astrophysicist, just another loud mouthed keyboard warrior with a YouTube account). 😊