Milky Way heavier than previously thought
Posted: Tue, Jan 6, 2009, 6:49 AM ET (1149 GMT)
The Milky Way galaxy is more massive and spins faster than astronomers previously believed, scientists reported Monday. Astronomers used the Very Long Baseline Array radio telescope to measures distances and motions within the galaxy, finding that objects were moving faster than previous estimates. The solar system, for example, rotates around the galaxy at a speed of over 960,000 km/h, up from previous estimates of 800,000 km/h. That increase in rotation means the Milky Way's mass is 50 percent higher than before, now 3 trillion solar masses, making it similar in size to the nearby Andromeda Galaxy.
The Milky Way galaxy is more massive and spins faster than astronomers previously believed, scientists reported Monday. Astronomers used the Very Long Baseline Array radio telescope to measures distances and motions within the galaxy, finding that objects were moving faster than previous estimates. The solar system, for example, rotates around the galaxy at a speed of over 960,000 km/h, up from previous estimates of 800,000 km/h. That increase in rotation means the Milky Way's mass is 50 percent higher than before, now 3 trillion solar masses, making it similar in size to the nearby Andromeda Galaxy.
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