Local Bubble

File:The Local Interstellar Cloud and neighboring G-cloud complex.svg

Map showing the Sun near the edge of the Local Interstellar Cloud and Alpha Centauri about four light-years away in the neighboring G-Cloud complex

The Local Bubble, or Local Cavity,^[1] is where we are in our galaxy. It is a relative cavity in the interstellar medium (ISM) of the Orion Arm in the Milky Way. It contains among others, the Local Interstellar Cloud, which contains the Solar System, and the G-Cloud. It is at least 300 light years across. It has a neutral-hydrogen density of about 0.05 atoms/cm³, or about one tenth of the average for the ISM in the Milky Way (0.5 atoms/cm³)

The exceptionally sparse gas of the Local Bubble is the result of supernovae that exploded within the past ten to twenty million years. The gas is still in an excited state, emitting in the X-ray band.^[2]^[3]

Local Bubble Media

Spin view local bubble with stars.gif

Spin view of local stars, 50 lyr rings in galactic plane around local bubble.
Localbubble formation.gif

As the bubble expands it sweeps interstellar gas and dust which collapse to form new stars on its surface but not inside. The Sun entered the bubble around five million years ago.
Localbubble.png

Local Bubble and its molecular clouds

References

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↑ Local chimney and superbubbles, Solstation.com
↑ NASA-funded X-ray Instrument Settles Interstellar Debate, www.nasa.gov

[Abt2015-1] Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Identifiers at line 630: attempt to index field 'known_free_doi_registrants_t' (a nil value).

[solstation-2] Local chimney and superbubbles, Solstation.com

[3] NASA-funded X-ray Instrument Settles Interstellar Debate, www.nasa.gov

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