Milky Way much larger, faster than expected

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Abu Sheikh

07 January, 2009

Scientists at Harvard University have concluded that our galaxy is 50 per cent more than previously thought. A researcher said that Milky Way and Andromeda are more like twins and the former is not exactly very small in comparison to Andromeda

A NEW measurement of the speed at which Milky way galaxy, of which the earth is a part is rotating has led scientists at Harvard University to conclude that the our galaxy is 50 per cent more than previously thought of.

Earlier it was held that the Milky Way was much smaller than it’s closest neighbour, the Andromeda galaxy. A researcher at the Harvard-Smithsonian Centre for Astrophysics said that it seemed Milky Way and Andromeda are more like twins and the former is not exactly very small in comparison, as it was thought of earlier.

Researchers at the Centre measured the speed at which the galaxy is rotating and than calculated the amount of mass required to generate that kind of velocity. They used large baseline array telescopes and found that Milky Way is rotating at about 600,000 miles an hour, much faster than the previous estimates.

The new findings also give strength to the assumptions that the galaxy could have four arms. But a negative fallout is that it is likely to collide with Andormeda sooner than expected, researchers said.

Scientists are also trying to find the four outgrowths Milky Way has by measuring the distances to massive star formations. The surveys are being done in the same manner as they are done on earth, by measuring angles and calculating length.