Hypervelocity Star Illustration (IMAGE)
Caption
Top and side views of the Milky Way galaxy show the location of four of the new class of hypervelocity stars. These are sun-like stars that are moving at speeds of more than a million miles per hour relative to the galaxy: fast enough to escape its gravitational grasp. The general directions from which the stars have come are shown by the colored bands.
Credit
Graphic design by Julie Turner, Vanderbilt University. The top view of the galaxy comes from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the side view comes from the European Southern Observatory.
Usage Restrictions
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License
Licensed content