ITC Discussion

The New Milky Way near the Sun

Combinations of 3D dust maps of the ISM and 3D measurements of the motions of young stars have recently revealed two previously unseen phenomena: 1.) a gigantic undulation in the Local Arm of the Galaxy ("The Radcliffe Wave"); and 2.) a preponderance of SN-driven bubbles nearby, the largest of which (the "Local Bubble") is roughly centered on the current position of the Sun. Meanwhile, simulations of star-forming galaxies are becoming "nearly" good enough to search for simulated analogs to The Radcliffe Wave and the bubbly ISM around us. It's debatable whether any true analogs have been found, so let's debate and collaborate!

Alyssa Goodman