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A Visitor's Guide to the Milky Way
Sure, you live there, but how much do you really know about our home galaxy? You might be surprised what lurks a few light years away.
Scientists announced in January that 10 billion stars in the Milky Way may be orbited by Earth-like planets. Not only are these planets expected to be similar in size to our own, but they're also located in zones temperate enough for liquid water to form. That's good news for intergalactic tourism, says University of Copenhagen astrophysicist Uffe Jørgensen, who led the research. Jørgensen predicts that people will begin colonizing the moon and Mars, then eventually travel to planets around other stars. Here's what adventurous planet-hoppers should know before leaving home.
Natural Wonder
Nothing beats a double sunset. The planets Kepler-16b, -34b, and -35b each orbit two stars at once, much like Tatooine in Star Wars. According to new research, such double-sun planets may be common throughout the galaxy.
Orbiting a pulsar in the Milky Way's Serpens, or Snake, constellation, may be the most beautiful planet you'll ever lay eyes on. It is certainly the most valuable. This rock is about five times the diameter of Earth and made almost entirely of diamond.
Clubs and Nightlife
Astronomers have found a mysterious haze at the heart of the galaxy. The light appears to be produced by an "absolutely enormous" cloud of energetic particles racing through the galaxy's magnetic field, but the particles' origin has so far defied explanation.
A small black hole named IGR J17091 produces some of the fastest winds in the galaxy —perfect for hardcore paragliding. The magnetic fields around the black hole cause material to rush away from it at about 20 million mph.
Located 620 light-years away in the Cygnus constellation, Kepler-22b is just 2.4 times Earth's size. It orbits a sun-like star and may even have Earth-like temperatures.
Celebrate the birth of new stars at Cygnus X, one of the most active regions of star formation in the galaxy. Shock waves, intense UV light, and stellar winds create a spectacular show.
At upwards of 450 F, the watery planet GJ1214b has a steamy atmosphere. Deep inside it, H20 behaves strangely, creating materials such as hot ice and superfluid water.
Historic Landmark
Two gamma-ray bubbles, each 25,000 light-years tall, straddle the galactic center. They're likely the product of star formation or the eruption of a supermassive black hole.
Carbon in the Sky... (with Diamonds)
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