Our ravenous galaxy keeps stealing smaller galaxies

Snatched Up

At least six of the smaller galaxies orbiting the Milky Way were stolen from one of its other satellites, according to new research.

Our Ravenous Galaxy Keeps Stealing Smaller Galaxies

At least six of the Milky Way's satellites used to belong to another galaxy.

The researchers estimate it could've lasted for some 300,000 years.

3.5 million years ago, our galaxy was rocked by an explosion

Big Burp

According to a new study, the center of the Milky Way galaxy exploded in a huge flare-up of hot gas. And an explosion might explode again in the future.

3.5 Million Years Ago, Our Galaxy Was Rocked by an Explosion

And it could happen again.

The flare up could have been caused by a nearby celestial object being swallowed up.

The Milky Way's supermassive black hole just did something wild

Flare Up

Astronomers observed the supermassive black hole at the centre of the Milky Way called Sagittarius A* flare up, growing 75 times brighter than usual.

The Milky Way’s Supermassive Black Hole Just Did Something Wild

Why did the center of the Milky Way just light up to the brightest levels we've ever observed?

An encounter with a "ghost of a galaxy" is still haunting the Milky Way.

We live in the wreckage of an epic galactic collision, says study

Hard Knocks

Astronomers believe a past galactic collision with Antlia 2 is to blame for large ripples in the Milky Way's outer hydrogen gas disc.

We Live in the Wreckage of an Epic Galactic Collision, Says Study

And it could help us solve the mystery of dark matter.

A new high-res map yielded an unexpected discovery.

Scientists find mysterious star-forming factory in Milky Way

Stellar Discovery

Astronomers have discovered that one subregion of the Milky Way is far more efficient at star formation than the others — and they don't know why.

Scientists Find Mysterious Star-Forming Factory In Milky Way

Everything is star-stuff — but especially this place!

Galactic Center 360-degree Visualization

Blue represents the hottest gases, red is ultraviolet emission, while yellow shows the cooler gas with higher densities.

360-degree video puts you in the center of the Milky Way galaxy

360 Milky Way

This 360-degree visualization of the Milky Way galaxy comes courtesy of data collected by the Chandra X-ray Observatory and NASA's Ames supercomputer.

360-Degree Video Puts You in the Center of the Milky Way Galaxy

It's peaceful — except for the supermassive black holes.

"The new mass estimate puts our galaxy on the beefier side, compared to other galaxies in the universe."

New NASA measurements: Milky Way galaxy is "on the beefier side"

Galaxy Quest

New data collected by NASA, using two space telescopes, shows that the vast majority of our galaxy's mass is dark matter.

New NASA Measurements: Milky Way Galaxy Is “On the Beefier Side”

New data shows that the vast majority of our galaxy's mass is dark matter.

"As soon as we investigated this particular group of stars in more detail, we knew that we had found what we were looking for."

Scientists found a “river of stars” flowing through the Milky Way

Stellar Stream

New research has uncovered a stellar stream comprising 4,000 stars flowing through the Milky Way remarkably close to the Earth.

Scientists Found a “River of Stars” Flowing Through the Milky Way

This stellar stream has been hiding in plain sight.

It turns out our galaxy isn't the flat disk we once thought.

The Milky Way is a lot more warped than scientists thought

Distinct Kink

A new 3D map of the Milky Way galaxy shows a different structure than scientists expected. It turns out the outer disk is all warped out of shape.

The Milky Way is a Lot More Warped Than Scientists Thought

A new 3D map shows that our galaxy isn't nearly as tidy as we thought.

Here's the best-ever image of the black hole devouring our galaxy

Black Hole Sun

Researchers have captured the best-ever image of Sagittarius A*, the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way.

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