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enigphilo
03-02-2012, 05:49 AM
439

Scientists Discover Mysterious Colossal ‘Soap Bubbles’ In the Middle of Our Galaxy

Scientists have discovered two gigantic structures resembling soap bubbles in the middle of the Milky Way, above and below the galactic plane. How gigantic? 25,000 light-years tall, one quarter the size of our galaxy! They are not sure where they are coming from.

They suspect they may be "the remnants from a burst of star formation or leftovers from an eruption by the supermassive black hole at our galaxy's center," but they are still trying to confirm their origin.

Inside the bubbles, they say, "extremely energetic electrons of unknown origin interact with lower-energy light to generate the gamma rays that define these bubbles." The image was created using data from the all-sky map made by NASA's Fermi Gamma-Ray Space Telescope.

According to NASA, this is how they would appear to the naked eye if humans 'could see gamma rays.' You know. Like, mutants. Or the Silver Surfer. [NASA]


I am still amazed at the things we continue to find in our own backyard.

norenrad
03-03-2012, 03:02 AM
That definitely is very interesting especially the thought that black holes can either erupt or blow up.

lux aurea in obscuro
03-05-2012, 01:51 PM
Good afternoon enigphilo,

It sure is a beauty of a picture and thanks for mentioning it was taken from the NASA Fermi Gamma-Ray space telescope. I find it very interesting how NASA are able to picture the Milkyway from outside looking in back at us? Even using collated data this picture sure blows my mind, how many angles have NASA got to compute such a magnificent image. It states this is how artist visualize the lobes, I would think being out there with a tripod and camera somewhat challenging.

To think on my monitor we would sit just one small inch from the outer edges of this cloud. As norenrad mentions are these lobes expanding or collapsing? I wonder how long it will be until we are sailing into these charged clouds.


Kind regards

WildMage
03-19-2012, 02:58 AM
NASA ScienceCasts: Mysterious Objects at the Edge of the Electromagnetic Spectrum

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hIF36ty1Eo

enigphilo
03-20-2012, 10:20 PM
Great addition WildMage