A powerful telescope array in Chile's Atacama Desert has produced the most detailed image ever captured of the star-forming region at the center of our galaxy. The photograph shows swirling clouds of gas and dust spanning more than 650 light-years around the supermassive black hole at the Milky Way's core.
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Astronomers using a sophisticated telescope array in Chile have produced an extraordinary new photograph showing the star-forming region at the center of our Milky Way galaxy in remarkable detail.
The European Southern Observatory made the image public on Wednesday, showcasing a vast area of frigid cosmic material spanning more than 650 light-years. To put that distance in perspective, each light-year equals approximately 6 trillion miles or 9.7 trillion kilometers.
These massive clouds of gas and dust encircle the enormous black hole located at the very center of our galaxy.
This record-breaking photograph represents the most expansive image ever captured by the ALMA telescope array, positioned in Chile’s Atacama Desert, known as one of Earth’s most arid locations.
According to survey leader Steve Longmore from Liverpool John Moores University, examining star formation processes in this region, known as the Central Molecular Zone, helps scientists gain insights into galactic evolution.
Ashley Barnes from the European Southern Observatory, who participated in the research, described the significance of the discovery. “It’s a place of extremes, invisible to our eyes, but now revealed in extraordinary detail,” Barnes stated.
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