ALMA Captures Unprecedented Image of Milky Way's Core

Astronomers have captured the most detailed image to date of the Milky Way's central region, unveiling a complex network of cosmic gas filaments. The image, spanning over 650 light-years, was obtained using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) in Chile's Atacama Desert.

The observations focus on the Central Molecular Zone (CMZ), a dense area surrounding the galaxy's supermassive black hole, Sagittarius A*. This region is rich in cold molecular gas, the raw material for star formation.

Ashley Barnes, an astronomer at the European Southern Observatory, described the CMZ as "a place of extremes, invisible to our eyes, but now revealed in extraordinary detail."

The ALMA CMZ Exploration Survey (ACES) detected dozens of different molecules within the CMZ, including complex organic compounds like methanol and ethanol. These findings provide insights into the chemistry occurring at the galaxy's core and the processes leading to star formation.

Steve Longmore, professor of astrophysics at Liverpool John Moores University and leader of ACES, noted that the CMZ hosts some of the most massive stars known in our galaxy, many of which end their lives in powerful supernova explosions. Studying this region offers a clearer picture of how galaxies grew and evolved, as it shares features with galaxies in the early universe where stars formed in chaotic environments.

The image is the largest ever produced by ALMA, created by stitching together numerous individual observations. This comprehensive view will aid astronomers in understanding the interplay between stars, gas, and black holes in extreme environments.