What happens when you produce a map of microwave in the Milky Way ? Well , it ends up looking something like the image above .
create using the European Space Agency ’s ( ESA)Plancksatellite , the picture expose microwave oven coming from all corner of the extragalactic nebula . The colouration exemplify their angle , and the brightness is their vividness . Planck , launched in 2009 , has previously been used to study ancient light from theBig Bang , but this time turn its attention to microwave .
Microwaves in the Milky Way are make in a number of processes including particle collisions in the interstellar plasma , the quivering of junk cause by heat energy and “ spinning ” dust grains , which is called anomalous microwave emission ( AME ) . The spinning dust is the result of electric charges , and was first observed as a by - intersection ofCosmic Microwave Background(CMB ) observations , the remnant radiation left over from the Big Bang .
Each process produces a different strength of microwave oven , which can be class by telescopes . This particular image use AME .
It waspresentedby Dr. Mike Peel and Dr. Paddy Leahy of the Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics ( JCBA ) at the National Astronomy Meeting ( NAM 2015 ) in Llandudno , Wales , last week . The shape of the image is a result of how Planck map the sky , observe “ strips ” of the Milky Way and combine them together to create a single snapshot .
A second image , seen the right way , give away a magnanimous amount of microwave discharge around theLambda Orionisnebula , settle at the “ head word ” of the Orion constellation . This ring is 200 light - years across and is a result of the AME cognitive process .
Aside from the variety in microwave intensity from different corners of the galaxy , a great “ yellow ” feature can also be seen cover a third of the sky in the initial mental image , highlighted by the dotted oval . nickname Loop 1 , it was found 50 years ago but scientists are still unsure how far aside it is – anywhere from 400 to 25,000 light - years . This means that its sizing can also not be determined yet .
agree toSpace.com , many scientists conceive Loop 1 is a " pre - existing cavity in the interstellar gaseous state and dust that was re - energized by supernovas and began emitting microwaves . "
key image : Courtesy of M. Peel / JCBA / Planck / ESA .
