Astronomers Reveal Three-Dimensional Map of the Milky Way's Interstellar Dust
Chinese and international astronomers have released the inaugural 3D map detailing the characteristics of interstellar dust in the Milky Way. This significant advancement is expected to enhance the accuracy of astronomical observations and...
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Chinese and international astronomers have released the inaugural 3D map detailing the characteristics of interstellar dust in the Milky Way. This significant advancement is expected to enhance the accuracy of astronomical observations and contribute to research in astrochemistry and the evolution of galaxies.
The study was spearheaded by Zhang Xiangyu, a doctoral student from China at Germany's Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, alongside his advisor Gregory Green. The research utilized data from China’s Large Sky Area Multi-Object Fiber Spectroscopic Telescope as well as the European Space Agency’s Gaia space observatory. The results were featured as the cover story in the latest edition of the Science academic journal.
The interstellar medium—the matter and radiation existing between stars—plays an essential role in the Milky Way's cycle of materials and in the formation of stars. Most elements heavier than hydrogen and helium within this medium are found as solid dust particles. Dust affects starlight by absorbing and scattering it, which causes distant stars to appear dimmer and redder, a phenomenon referred to as “extinction.” Correcting for extinction is necessary for most astronomical observations.
By integrating detailed stellar parameters from LAMOST with low-resolution spectroscopic survey data obtained from Gaia, astronomers have created the first extensive catalog outlining the absorption and scattering behaviors of interstellar dust for over 130 million stars. This catalog enabled them to successfully develop a 3D map of dust distribution and its properties within the Milky Way, extending up to distances of 16,308 light-years.
Thomas Evans for TROIB News
The study was spearheaded by Zhang Xiangyu, a doctoral student from China at Germany's Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, alongside his advisor Gregory Green. The research utilized data from China’s Large Sky Area Multi-Object Fiber Spectroscopic Telescope as well as the European Space Agency’s Gaia space observatory. The results were featured as the cover story in the latest edition of the Science academic journal.
The interstellar medium—the matter and radiation existing between stars—plays an essential role in the Milky Way's cycle of materials and in the formation of stars. Most elements heavier than hydrogen and helium within this medium are found as solid dust particles. Dust affects starlight by absorbing and scattering it, which causes distant stars to appear dimmer and redder, a phenomenon referred to as “extinction.” Correcting for extinction is necessary for most astronomical observations.
By integrating detailed stellar parameters from LAMOST with low-resolution spectroscopic survey data obtained from Gaia, astronomers have created the first extensive catalog outlining the absorption and scattering behaviors of interstellar dust for over 130 million stars. This catalog enabled them to successfully develop a 3D map of dust distribution and its properties within the Milky Way, extending up to distances of 16,308 light-years.
Thomas Evans for TROIB News
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