posted
This is what the Milky Way looks like, right? (Actually, this is Andromeda,but you get the idea)
WRONG! This is what the Milky Way looks like
What we see in the sky at night that looks like the Orion Arm is actually gas. Now Cargile has to do his SMR maps all over again. Sorry, Cargile
This was brought to my attention a couple of weeks ago on a mailing list. I just thought about it now. Apparently some scientists were trying to get some pics of the galaxy when they found out it's true shape.
This changes everything!
Thank you and happy cartographing
------------------ Star Trek: Dark Horizon Creator, Owner, Only Writer
I DO know that the band of light (The Milky Way) I see in the sky at night is NOT gas, but stars. You can see this fact with a cheap pair of binoculars.
I'm not sure if that's what you're talking about, though.
I have heard recent speculation that our galaxy may, in fact, be a barred spiral and not quite as big or grand as yon Andromeda, but not much more than that.
------------------ "... Then you'll see me do some MAJOR dancing on your face!" -- Cosby
posted
I'm just curious as to how that picture has been labled as the Milky Way. In defence of my own map, I took it from an astronomy site, and the image was actually a painting taken from data accumulated from satelites looking through and across the galaxy.
You have not provided us any information as to whether that is a photograph (and unless there is a giant mirror in space I doubt it is), or a generated image of our galaxy taken from composite data as the galaxy image I use.
I believe what we are actually seeing is a picture of what astronomers agree is a type of spiral galaxy our Milky Way belongs to.
posted
I remember seeing such a picture in a 'Focus' magazine, but have since lost the magazine, do you perhaps have the picture (of the artists impression of our galaxy) Cargz?
------------------ "Ooh, FASA." - The Shadow, aka Frank G - June 1999
Recent observations do seem to indicate that our galaxy is slightly barred. But whether it's enough to throw off maps is sheer speculation at this point.
Anyway, those two pictures aren't entirely fair representations either. Andromeda isn't at much of an angle. A good picture of a spiral galaxy would be NGC 4414.
At least our galaxy isn't a polar-ring one. Good luck mapping that in 2D.
------------------ "According to myth, the earth was created in six days. Now watch out! Here comes Genesis. We'll do it for you in six minutes." -- Dr. Leonard H. McCoy
Printer-friendly view of this topic
