Our Local Bubble

[Druid]

I'm sure there are some proper experts around who can expand on this, but I've been reading some fascinating stuff about our immediate environment within Orion's Arm, i.e. the Local Bubble.

What fascinates me about this stuff is the relationship between what we see through our scope and our immediate galactic surroundings. A sense of perspective if you get my meaning?

"When we started mapping gas in the galaxy, we found a deficit of neutral gas within about 500 light years, suggesting that we are in a bubble-shaped cavity perhaps filled with hot, ionized gas," Welsh said. "But the Local Bubble is shaped more like a tube and should be called the Local Chimney." If this system of interlocking, gaseous cavities is characteristic of the entire galaxy, it presents a dramatic confirmation of a 30-year-old theory of the Milky Way, Welsh said.

http://www.berkeley.edu/news/media/releases/2003/05/29_space.shtml

See also: http://www.solstation.com/x-objects/chimney.htm

Does this sort of stuff interest anyone else? Are there any particularly good links to articles or even books on the subject? (I did maths at Uni, but that was a very long time ago, so nothing too heavy-weight please)

[AstroJon]

The interstellar medium is a fascinating place. I am not too familiar with our local area but I seem to remember reading somewhere sometime ago that we are located within an ancient supernova remnant which explains the hot ionised gas.

[Druid]

What struck me was that I didn't have a clear mental model of the 'landscape' up there, beyond 'planets near, galaxies far' kind of stuff.

It feels like knowing that the Orion nebula and the Trapezium stars are close neighbours and oriented to us in a particular way enriches the experience of viewing them somehow.

Makes me want to do a little project (when the deluge permits) to try to identify all the other stuff in our local bubble, even if they're not particularly spectacular objects.

Knowing the neighbourhood as it were.

[glappkaeft]

There is a free program called Where is M13? that can plot where deep sky objects actually are. It might interest you.

[Druid]

Sounds interesting. Thanks.

(not working right now, but my connection may be flaky this morning)

[ollypenrice]

I think this is fascinating.

Olly

[Qualia]

Can anyone explain that map to me a little? It looks interesting but I just can't read it

[glappkaeft]

The right hand view tells you how far above or below the disc the object is (Cartesian Z axis) and the left hand view tells you where it is in relation to a "top view" of the galaxy while ignoring if it is above or below (Cartesian X,Y).

If we look at where M13 is located compared with the galactic centre we can see that it to the Galactic north east (the left hand side view) and quite a bit above the disk, around 45 degrees up from the galactic centre (right hand side view). Since Where is M13? lacks a 3D view (now that would be cool but much harder to code) we then need to visualize how this looks in 3D. 

[Druid]

Someone on CN recommended this terrific book about our local galactic neighbourhood. It arrived this morning and from what I can see it's exactly the sort of thing I was after.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Guide-Galaxy-Nigel-Henbest/dp/0521306221

Bargain too

[Druid]

Oops. book is "Guide to the Galaxy", by Henbest and Couper