Our Galaxy Has a Hot Side and Now We Know Why

Our Galaxy Has a Hot Side and Now We Know Why
By Mark Thompson (https://ift.tt/q2BAKge)

Our Galaxy's halo of hot gas is measurably warmer on one side than the other and a team of scientists have found the culprit. The gravitational pull of the Large Magellanic Cloud is drawing the Milky Way slowly southward, compressing the gas in its path and heating it up, much like a piston in an engine. The discovery solves a puzzle that has intrigued astronomers since the temperature difference was first detected in 2024.

April 29, 2026 at 04:46AM
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