Cosmic cloud extending the milky way
2008/02/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria
Within 40 million years, a cloud of hydrogen gas at 8,000 light years will collide with the Milky Way and probably millions of new stars will be formed. It will be one of the last phases of the formation process of our galaxy.
It was unveiled at the 211 congress of the American Astronomy Society. Astronomers wanted to know if that cloud was made up of materials extracted from the Milky Way or if it would first reach the galaxy. They have seen with a radio telescope that the heaviest elements of this cloud are hydrogen and helium, and that in the Milky Way the heaviest elements are very common. So they conclude that this cloud will be new.
