2/2 The local arm of the Milky Way and our Sun's place in it for now. Ken Croswell

Photo:  An artist's impression of the Milky Way as seen from the outside. New research suggests that the Orion Spur, or Arm, is almost twice as long as scientists had previously thought. (Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ESO/R. Hurt)

2/2  The local arm of the Milky Way and our Sun's place in it for now. Ken Croswell

Inner Workings: Astronomers are redrawing our corner of the Milky Way

     We live in a giant barred spiral galaxy. The Milky Way’s fast-spinning disk of stars and gas whips up spiral arms that spawn new suns, while a bar of mostly older stars cuts through its heart. From afar, our galaxy likely resembles a glowing cosmic hurricane.