Suggested Searches

1 min read

Artist’s Impression of Milky Way Inflows and Outflows

Milky Way inflows and outflows

This illustration envisions the Milky Way galaxy's gas recycling above and below its stellar disk. Hubble observes the invisible gas clouds rising and falling with its sensitive Cosmic Origins Spectrograph (COS) instrument. The spectroscopic signature of the light from background quasars shining through the clouds gives information about their motion. Quasar light is redshifted in clouds shooting up and away from the galactic plane, while quasar light passing through gas falling back down appears blueshifted. This differentiation allows Hubble to conduct an accurate audit of the outflowing and inflowing gas in the Milky Way's busy halo—revealing an unexpected and so-far unexplained surplus of inflowing gas.

  • Release Date
    October 10, 2019
  • Science Release
    Milky Way Raids Intergalactic ‘Bank Accounts,’ Hubble Study Finds
  • Credit
    NASA, ESA, and D. Player (STScI)

Downloads

  • 2000 × 1125
    png (2.81 MB)
  • 1000 × 563
    png (842.3 KB)
  • Full Res, 3840 × 2160
    tif (9.82 MB)
  • Full Res, 3840 × 2160
    png (8.55 MB)
  • Full Res, 3840 × 2160
    jpg (797.9 KB)
  • Full Res
    pdf (15.29 MB)

Share

Details

Last Updated
Mar 28, 2025
Contact
Media

Claire Andreoli
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center
Greenbelt, Maryland
claire.andreoli@nasa.gov