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NASA's Chandra Shows Milky Way Arms Extend 10% Further

7/8/2026

Summary

Story summary

U.S. astronomers using NASA's Chandra reported that the Milky Way’s spiral arms extend farther than previously thought.
Beatrice Vaia measured arm distances with X-ray light from bursts scattering off dust, avoiding rotation assumptions.
Ilaria Fornasiero said the revised distances push the Outer and Outer-Scutum-Centaurs arms about ten percent farther out.
The most distant arm spans 3,500 light-years.
Researchers will continue monitoring gamma-ray bursts to refine the galaxy’s structure.

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Story summary

U.S. astronomers using NASA's Chandra reported that the Milky Way’s spiral arms extend farther than previously thought.
Beatrice Vaia measured arm distances with X-ray light from bursts scattering off dust, avoiding rotation assumptions.
Ilaria Fornasiero said the revised distances push the Outer and Outer-Scutum-Centaurs arms about ten percent farther out.
The most distant arm spans 3,500 light-years.
Researchers will continue monitoring gamma-ray bursts to refine the galaxy’s structure.