
Milky way - The real shape of our galaxy is revealed in this infrared image obtained by IRAS. Infrared light penetrates the dust clouds and shows that the galaxy appears as a thin disk, just like the edge-on spiral galaxies we see throughtout the cosmos. The bulge in the band is the center of the galaxy. The yellow and green knots and blobs scattered along the band are giant clouds of interstellar gas and dust heated by nearby stars. ARC-1983-AC83-0768-2
Summary
Milky way - The real shape of our galaxy is revealed in this infrared image obtained by IRAS. Infrared light penetrates the dust clouds and shows that the galaxy appears as a thin disk, just like the edge-on spiral galaxies we see throughtout the cosmos. The bulge in the band is the center of the galaxy. The yellow and green knots and blobs scattered along the band are giant clouds of interstellar gas and dust heated by nearby stars.
Tags
Date
09/11/1983
Source
NASA
Copyright info
Public Domain Dedication (CC0)