While waiting, hopefully, for the arrival of the James Webb Space Telescope, here’s a short video of what the current space telescopes, particularly Nasa’s Spitzer and ESA’s Herschel, have seen at the centre of our galaxy. The above image is a three-color composite, showing infrared observations from two of Spitzer instruments. [Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech]. Video from SpitzerSpaceCenter.
As well as the twisted ring of very dense and cold gas and dust at the galactic centre, there have been other amazing structures observed. Then there are the “colossal swathes of cold dust that spread through the Milky Way galaxy.” It’s a “thing of beauty”.
And those paying attention will have noticed that the above video uses the up-to-date model of the Milky Way. Here it is again. [Image credit: Nasa/JPL-Caltech/R. Hurt (SSC Caltech)].