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Superbubble study maps Earth’s cosmic neighborhood for the first time

The invisible force shaping our corner of the Universe.

by Robin Bea
Updated: 
Originally Published: 
visualization of 3D magnetic map for Local Bubble
Theo O’Neill/Milkyway3d.org team

Despite it being home to every human who’s ever lived, we still know very little about the Milky Way — including how stars are distributed throughout the galaxy.

NASA/JPL-Caltech/R. Hurt (SSC/Caltech)

ESO/NASA/CXC/U.Mich./S.Oey/JPL

One thing we do know is that star formation is influenced by superbubblesmassive cavities in space carved out by stellar winds and supernovae.

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