Unveiling the Complexity of Milky Way’s Giant Gas Bubbles
An international team of scientists has investigated the so-called “eRosita Bubbles” – gas formations spanning 36,000 light-years that burst from the central part of our Milky Way galaxy – and discovered previously unknown properties about them.
These bubbles, named after the eRosita X-ray telescope that was instrumental in their discovery, are not the only formations growing out of our galaxy’s disc. There are also the “Fermi Bubbles,” discovered using the Fermi Gamma-ray telescope. Despite their similar shape, the Fermi Bubbles are half the size and less energetic. These structures stretch through the gas surrounding our galaxy. Astronomers hope that studying these structures will reveal new star formation mechanisms and explain how galaxies like ours come together.
The discoveries were based on observations made from 2005 to 2014. It was previously believed that the bubbles were heated by shock waves of gas ejected from the Milky Way. However, researchers have found that the gas temperature inside the bubbles does not differ from the gas temperature outside of them. Instead, their brightness is attributed to high matter density.
Astronomers are still uncertain about how these galactic bubbles formed. One hypothesis suggests that they are “blown out” as a result of the activity of Sagittarius A*, the supermassive black hole located at the galaxy’s center. However, the presence of certain elements in the bubbles indicates that intense star formation at the center of the Milky Way may be the cause. Scientists hope to gather additional information about the “eRosita Bubbles” through observations made during upcoming space missions.
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- I'm Vasyl Kolomiiets, a seasoned tech journalist regularly contributing to global publications. Having a profound background in information technologies, I seamlessly blended my technical expertise with my passion for writing, venturing into technology journalism. I've covered a wide range of topics including cutting-edge developments and their impacts on society, contributing to leading tech platforms.
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