Space

Huge gas cloud headed for Milky Way

Smith’s Cloud – a massive cloud of gas orbiting the Milky Way galaxy – contains enough gas to make 2 million stars the size of our sun. It’s moving through space at 700,000 miles (1.13 million km) per hour on a collision course with the Milky Way. In about 30 million years, it will crash into our galaxy, causing a brilliant burst of star formation.

In this NASA ScienceCast video you can find out what astronomers know about Smith’s Cloud, and what mysteries are still to be solved.

Enjoying EarthSky? Sign up for our free daily newsletter today!

Bottom line: New NASA video on what astronomers know about Smith’s Cloud.

Read more from Science at NASA

Posted 
October 11, 2016
 in 
Space

Like what you read?
Subscribe and receive daily news delivered to your inbox.

Your email address will only be used for EarthSky content. Privacy Policy
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

More from 

Eleanor Imster

View All