Study offers explanation for unusual alignment of nebulae in Milky Way

In a new study led by an international team from the Universities of Manchester and Hong Kong, astronomers describe finding a plausible theory to explain the phenomenon. Unusual alignment of planetary nebulae in the Milky Way. The research was based on data collected from 136 planetary nebulae of different times, features and locations.

According to the research published in the Astrophysical Journal Letters, the studied nebulae consist of individual stars born at different times and locations; The observations were made from data collected by the Very Large Telescope observatories in Chile and the Hubble Space Telescope. Nevertheless, scientists point out that they all have significantly similar alignments.

The planetary nebulae mentioned, on the galactic ledge, thickest part of the Milky Way, a region of space consisting of a group of stars compressed into a larger star formation. In other words, it is a term used to refer to the central group of stars of the galaxy.

“The formation of stars in the bulge of our Galaxy is a complex process involving various factors such as gravity, turbulence, and magnetic fields. Until now, we had no evidence as to which of these mechanisms could cause this process and create this alignment. The significance of this research is that the alignment in this very specific subset of planetary nebulae It lies in the fact that we now know that it is being observed,” explains Albert Zijlstra, one of the study’s authors.

Alignment of nebulae in the Milky Way

According to the results of the research, The binary star system is the main reason why these planetary nebulae are similarly aligned. – a binary system represents two gravitationally bound stars orbiting their centers of mass.

The scientists explain that the companion star orbits very closely around the parent star at the center of the planetary nebulae. For this reason, they explain, nebulae without binary stars often do not achieve the same observed alignment. In any case, the team points out that more is needed to study planetary nebulae to fully understand the mechanics behind this alignment.

While more research is needed to fully understand the mechanisms behind the alignment, the findings provide important evidence for the existence of a continuous, controlled process that influences star formation over billions of years and vast distances.”

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