New arm of Milky Way galaxy discovered

CANBERRA, Australia (Reuters) -- Australian astronomers have discovered an extra cosmic arm in the Milky Way that they believe wraps around the outskirts of the vast galaxy like a thick gas border

Astronomers believe the Milky Way has about four arms made up of hydrogen gas, dust and stars spiraling out from its center. McClure-Griffiths said the newly discovered gas border is about 60,000 light years from the center of the Milky Way.

We have known there was gas out there but we haven't known that there was a structure out there. We thought there was just a smooth drop-off, that the galaxy just sort of slid away," McClure-Griffiths told Reuters.

"It is at the furthest reaches of the galaxy and is the last thing you see before the galaxy disappears."

www.cnn.com... html

I get excited when this happens. I like to think that space goes on forever and ever and that there is no end to it.

It also makes me think about what other "beings" might be in these newly discovered areas ?

Awesome post.

Have they been verified by ESA or NASA?

It is amazing how much we have learnt above space in the past 100 years!

Hmmm...now THIS makes me ponder....to the bat cave!