Milky Way : Science World Report

Jun 18, 2015 09:01 AM EDT

Stars May Collide in This Shrouded, Densely-Packed Cluster in the Milky Way

Scientists may have discovered a region of space where stars collide. They've found a cluster of stars that are so densely packed that it's likely that they may collide in the future.

Mar 27, 2015 05:53 AM EDT

Dusty Gas Cloud Survived a Cloud Encounter with a Supermassive Black Hole

Scientists have gotten the best view yet of a dusty gas cloud, G2, after it made its closest approach to the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way.

Mar 20, 2015 07:24 AM EDT

First Ever Direct Observations of Cosmic Dust in the Center of the Milky Way Made

Astronomers have made the first ever direct observations of cosmic building-block dust in the center of our Milky Way galaxy.

Mar 12, 2015 07:40 AM EDT

The Milky Way Galaxy is More Than 50 Percent Larger Than First Estimated

It turns out that the Milky Way galaxy is a bit larger than expected. After re-examining the data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, scientists have found that our galaxy is at least 50 percent larger than commonly estimated.

Mar 11, 2015 06:35 AM EDT

Rare Dwarf Galaxies Orbiting the Milky Way May Shed Light on Dark Matter

Astronomers have discovered that we're not alone. They've found several rare dwarf satellite galaxies orbiting our own Milky Way. The findings could pave the way to better understanding dark matter, the mysterious substance that holds our galaxy together.

Mar 10, 2015 10:41 AM EDT

Scientists Mystified by Dusty Cosmic Disks that Survive Extreme Forces from Massive Stars

A team of scientists have discovered something unusual at the heart of the Milky Way Galaxy. They've detected 20 rotating dust and gas discs in each cluster hosting exceptionally large and hot stars.

Mar 02, 2015 11:28 AM EST

Stellar Nursery is Discovered on the Fringes of the Milky Way Galaxy

NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) has spotted a stellar nursery that's essentially in the middle of nowhere. The cluster of stars is forming at the very edge of the Milky Way galaxy.

Jan 28, 2015 08:29 AM EST

Mysterious 'Yellowballs' Spotted by Citizen Scientists are Baby Massive Stars

About four years ago, a citizen scientist that was looking for the tell-tale bubble patterns of star formation in the Milky Way Project found something else: bright yellow, fuzzy objects. Now, scientists have discovered exactly what these "yellowballs" actually are.

Jan 06, 2015 10:06 AM EST

Record-Breaking Outburst of X-rays Detected from Supermassive Black Hole

A team of scientists have observed and recorded the largest-ever flare in X-rays from a supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way galaxy.

Jan 01, 2015 07:56 AM EST

Mysterious Object Near the Milky Way Galaxy's Massive Black Hole Puzzles Astronomers

A mysterious object at the center of the Milky Way Galaxy has astronomers wondering exactly what it is.

Nov 04, 2014 07:44 AM EST

Astronomers Discover What the Bizarre Object at the Center of the Milky Way Really Is

Astronomers may have found out exactly what a certain thin, bizarre object at the center of our galaxy might be. They've discovered that this object isn't a hydrogen gas cloud, but may instead be a pair of binary stars that is orbiting the black hole at the center of the Milky Way galaxy.

Oct 16, 2014 07:42 AM EDT

Milky Way Strips Away Star-Forming Gas from Nearby Dwarf Galaxies

Astronomers have taken a look at our closest galactic neighbors, the dwarf spheroidal galaxies, and have found that they're devoid of star-forming gas--and our Milky Way may be to blame.