NASA's Fermi Telescope Finds Giant Structure in our Galaxy

[Godhumor]

Source: NASA

WASHINGTON -- NASA's Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope has unveiled a previously unseen structure centered in the Milky Way. The feature spans 50,000 light-years and may be the remnant of an eruption from a supersized black hole at the center of our galaxy.

"What we see are two gamma-ray-emitting bubbles that extend 25,000 light-years north and south of the galactic center," said Doug Finkbeiner, an astronomer at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics in Cambridge, Mass., who first recognized the feature. "We don't fully understand their nature or origin."

The structure spans more than half of the visible sky, from the constellation Virgo to the constellation Grus, and it may be millions of years old. A paper about the findings has been accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal.

...

Scientists now are conducting more analyses to better understand how the never-before-seen structure was formed. The bubble emissions are much more energetic than the gamma-ray fog seen elsewhere in the Milky Way. The bubbles also appear to have well-defined edges. The structure's shape and emissions suggest it was formed as a result of a large and relatively rapid energy release - the source of which remains a mystery.


Read more: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/GLAST/news/new-structure.html

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Awesome, and really bizarre, discovery.

[Joanne98]

1. Rut Roe! Are they going to hit us in 2012?

[Yeahyeah]

2. Sounds gross.And it's blocking the view.

Can they get it out of there?

[DJ13]

3. I was hoping 'structure' meant something like Niven's Ringworld

Thats what I get for reading Sci Fi so long I guess!

[Nostradammit]

17. I've always wanted a Puppeteer around the house.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierson%27s_Puppeteers

[DJ13]

19. They would be great for security

That roundhouse kick of the hind leg is a killer!

[Nostradammit]

20. and you'd no longer need a stereo system.

:)

[bemildred]

4. It's the dark matter!!! nt

[Myrina]

5. Its ..... THE BLOB!!!!

:scared: :hide: :scared: :hide:

[Phoonzang]

6. Black hole in the center of the galaxy ate something that disagrees with it. nt

[Godhumor]

8. "It turns out that our galaxy was formed by an inexplicably large gas attack"

"A super-sized Pepcid AC is being readied to deal with the situation."

[slackmaster]

7. They're gonna surround us.

:argh:

[snooper2]

9. THEY FOUND JESUSABUS's KINGDOM!

praise the lord!!!!!!!!

[rug]

10. Those gamma ray telescopes are the best.

[Ian David]

11. It's where god lives, and he needs us to bring him a starship. n/t

[JesterCS]

12. Sci Fi nerd here too

and I was thinking STRUCTURE in space omg... they found another civilization... i was disappointed =p

[Bragi]

13. Fergie's into astronomy! I'm in!

Oh, nevermind.

[Godhumor]

15. Considering the subject matter here, it would give all new meaning to "My Humps"

Can you find all the references to gamma bubbles now within the lyrics? I knew you could!

[jayfish]

14. Picture Here.

http://www.universetoday.com/

[AtheistCrusader]

18. Our Galaxy's got ballz, yo

[Name removed]

16. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Bragi]

21. Hmmmm....

A paper about the findings has been accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal.

Maybe a little early for a news hit?

Or is it good for science anyway, even if the research flames out later?

So who actually follows up and monitors claims of this sort?

/cue music

[Jackpine Radical]

24. Astrophysicists.

[Bragi]

25. What a relief, I feared it was the media's responsibilty /eom

[SkyDaddy7]

26. Other astrophysicis will be looking at it...

It won't flame out if it is there it is there for all to see...Well, those who have the telescopes powerful enough to see it.

[JitterbugPerfume]

22. Burp?

the black hole had gas?

[Permanut]

23. If it came from a black hole...

then it might be Rove's ego.

[sakabatou]

27. Watch God and his amazing, magic, radioactive soap bubbles!

:evilgrin: