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{{Short description|Area of sky obscured by the Milky Way}}
{{Short description|Area of sky obscured by the Milky Way}}
[[Image:Milky Way infrared.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|The Milky Way creates a Zone of Avoidance for local observers.]]
[[File:Milky_Way_infrared.jpg|thumb|300x300px|The Milky Way creates a Zone of Avoidance for local observers.]]
The '''Zone of Avoidance''' ('''ZOA''', '''ZoA'''), or '''Zone of Galactic Obscuration''' ('''ZGO'''),<ref name="VC-20221103">{{cite news |last=Ferreira |first=Becky |title=Scientists Discover Huge ‘Extragalactic Structure’ in Hidden Region of Space - The obscured "zone of avoidance" in space is a place of mystery, and scientists are peering at what's inside it. |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/z34883/scie-discover-huge-extragalactic-structure-in-zone-of-avoidance |date=3 November 2022 |work=[[Vice (magazine)|Vice]] |accessdate=3 November 2022 }}</ref><ref name="SA-20200714">{{cite news |last=Starr |first=Michelle |title=A Giant 'Wall' of Galaxies Has Been Found Stretching Across The Universe |url=https://www.sciencealert.com/a-giant-wall-of-galaxies-has-been-found-stretching-across-the-universe |date=14 July 2020 |work=ScienceAlert.com |access-date=19 July 2020 }}</ref> is the area of the sky that is obscured by the [[Milky Way]].<ref>{{Cite book|title=Astronomy encyclopedia|last1=Robinson|first1=L. J.|last2=Tirion|first2=W.|last3=Moore|first3=P.|publisher=Philip's|year=2002|location=London, UK|via=Credo Reference}}</ref>
The '''Zone of Avoidance''' ('''ZOA''', '''ZoA'''), or '''Zone of Galactic Obscuration''' ('''ZGO'''),<ref name="VC-20221103">{{cite news |last=Ferreira |first=Becky |title=Scientists Discover Huge 'Extragalactic Structure' in Hidden Region of Space - The obscured "zone of avoidance" in space is a place of mystery, and scientists are peering at what's inside it. |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/z34883/scie-discover-huge-extragalactic-structure-in-zone-of-avoidance |date=3 November 2022 |work=[[Vice (magazine)|Vice]] |accessdate=3 November 2022 }}</ref><ref name="SA-20200714">{{cite news |last=Starr |first=Michelle |title=A Giant 'Wall' of Galaxies Has Been Found Stretching Across The Universe |url=https://www.sciencealert.com/a-giant-wall-of-galaxies-has-been-found-stretching-across-the-universe |date=14 July 2020 |work=ScienceAlert.com |access-date=19 July 2020 }}</ref> is the area of the sky that is obscured by the [[Milky Way]].<ref>{{Cite book|title=Astronomy encyclopedia|last1=Robinson|first1=L. J.|last2=Tirion|first2=W.|last3=Moore|first3=P.|publisher=Philip's|year=2002|location=London, UK|via=Credo Reference}}</ref>


The Zone of Avoidance was originally called the '''Zone of Few Nebulae''' in an 1878 paper by English astronomer [[Richard Proctor]] that referred to the distribution of "[[nebula]]e" in [[John Herschel]]'s ''[[Catalogue of Nebulae and Clusters of Stars|General Catalogue of Nebulae]]''.<ref name=Kraan-Korteweg>Kraan-Korteweg & Lahav 2000, p. 2</ref>
The Zone of Avoidance was originally called the '''Zone of Few Nebulae''' in an 1878 paper by English astronomer [[Richard Proctor]] that referred to the distribution of "[[nebula]]e" in [[John Herschel]]'s ''[[Catalogue of Nebulae and Clusters of Stars|General Catalogue of Nebulae]]''.<ref name="Kraan-Korteweg">Kraan-Korteweg & Lahav. 2000, p. 2</ref>


==Background==
==Background==
Line 9: Line 9:


==Modern developments==
==Modern developments==
[[File:Galaxymap.com, map 12000 parsecs (2022).png|thumb|300x300px|The limits of observation as visualized by the Milky Way's star density map. Source: [[Gaia (spacecraft)|''Gaia'' spacecraft]]'s 2021 data release]]
Many projects have attempted to bridge the gap in knowledge caused by the Zone of Avoidance. The dust and gas in the Milky Way cause [[Extinction (astronomy)|extinction]] at optical wavelengths, and foreground stars can be confused with background galaxies. However, the effect of extinction drops at longer wavelengths, such as the [[infrared]], and the Milky Way is effectively transparent at radio wavelengths. Surveys in the infrared, such as [[IRAS]] and [[2MASS]], have given a more complete picture of the extragalactic sky. Two very large nearby galaxies, [[Maffei 1]] and [[Maffei 2]], were discovered in the Zone of Avoidance by [[Paolo Maffei]] by their infrared emission in 1968. Even so, approximately 10% of the sky remains difficult to survey as extragalactic objects can be confused with stars in the Milky Way.
Many projects have attempted to bridge the gap in knowledge caused by the Zone of Avoidance. The dust and gas in the Milky Way cause [[Extinction (astronomy)|extinction]] at optical wavelengths, and foreground stars can be confused with background galaxies. However, the effect of extinction drops at longer wavelengths, such as the [[infrared]], and the Milky Way is effectively transparent at radio wavelengths. Surveys in the infrared, such as [[IRAS]] and [[2MASS]], have given a more complete picture of the extragalactic sky. Two very large nearby galaxies, [[Maffei 1]] and [[Maffei 2]], were discovered in the Zone of Avoidance by [[Paolo Maffei]] by their infrared emission in 1968. Even so, approximately 10% of the sky remains difficult to survey as extragalactic objects can be confused with stars in the Milky Way.


Projects to survey the Zone of Avoidance at radio wavelengths, particularly using the [[21 cm line|21&nbsp;cm spin-flip emission line]] of neutral atomic [[hydrogen]] (known in astronomical parlance as [[Hydrogen line|H I line]]), have detected many galaxies that could not be detected in the infrared. Examples of galaxies detected from their HI emission include [[Dwingeloo 1]] and [[Dwingeloo 2]], discovered in 1994 and 1996, respectively.
Projects to survey the Zone of Avoidance at radio wavelengths, particularly using the [[21 cm line|21&nbsp;cm spin-flip emission line]] of neutral atomic [[hydrogen]] (known in astronomical parlance as [[Hydrogen line|H I line]]), have detected many galaxies that could not be detected in the infrared. Examples of galaxies detected from their HI emission include [[Dwingeloo 1]] and [[Dwingeloo 2]], discovered in 1994 and 1996, respectively.

Recent astronomical studies revealed a supercluster of galaxies, termed the [[Vela Supercluster]], in the Great Attractor's theorized location.<ref name="Kraan-Korteweg-2">{{cite Q|Q55892376}}</ref>


==See also==
==See also==
*[[Extragalactic background light]]
* [[Extragalactic background light]]
*[[Galactic plane]]
* [[Galactic plane]]
*[[Great Attractor]]
* [[Great Attractor]]


==References==
==References==
Line 23: Line 26:
==Sources==
==Sources==
{{wiktionary}}
{{wiktionary}}
* {{cite journal |last1=Kraan-Korteweg |first1=Renée C. |last2=Lahav |first2=Ofer |title=The Universe behind the Milky Way |journal=The Astronomy and Astrophysics Review |date=May 24, 2000 |volume=10 |issue=3 |pages=211–261 |arxiv=astro-ph/0005501 |doi=10.1007/s001590000011 |bibcode=2000A&ARv..10..211K |s2cid=14760994}}
*{{cite journal
* {{cite conference |first1=R. C. |last1=Kraan-Korteweg |first2=L. |last2=Staveley-Smith |first3=J. |last3=Donley |first4=P. A. |last4=Henning |title=The Universe behind the Southern Milky Way |conference=ASP Conference |book-title=Maps of the Cosmos – ASP Conference Series |publisher=[[International Astronomical Union]] |date=November 5, 2003 |arxiv=astro-ph/0311129 |bibcode=2003astro.ph.11129K}}
| last = Kraan-Korteweg
| first = Renée C.
| author2 = Ofer Lahav
| title = The Universe behind the Milky Way
| journal = The Astronomy and Astrophysics Review
| date = May 24, 2000
| volume = 10
| issue = 3
| pages = 211–261
| arxiv = astro-ph/0005501
| doi = 10.1007/s001590000011
|bibcode = 2000A&ARv..10..211K | s2cid = 14760994
}}
*{{cite conference
| first1 = Kraan-Korteweg | last1 = R. C.
| first2 = L. | last2 = Staveley-Smith
| first3 = J. | last3 = Donley
| first4 = P. A. | last4 = Henning
| title = The Universe behind the Southern Milky Way
| book-title = Maps of the Cosmos - ASP Conference Series
| publisher = [[International Astronomical Union]]
| date = November 5, 2003
| arxiv = astro-ph/0311129
|bibcode = 2003astro.ph.11129K }}


{{Milky Way}}
{{Milky Way}}

Latest revision as of 22:09, 30 April 2024

The Milky Way creates a Zone of Avoidance for local observers.

The Zone of Avoidance (ZOA, ZoA), or Zone of Galactic Obscuration (ZGO),[1][2] is the area of the sky that is obscured by the Milky Way.[3]

The Zone of Avoidance was originally called the Zone of Few Nebulae in an 1878 paper by English astronomer Richard Proctor that referred to the distribution of "nebulae" in John Herschel's General Catalogue of Nebulae.[4]

Background

[edit]

When viewing space from Earth, the attenuation, interstellar dust and stars in the plane of the Milky Way (the galactic plane) obstruct the view of around 20% of the extragalactic sky at visible wavelengths. As a result, optical galaxy catalogues are usually incomplete close to the galactic plane.

Modern developments

[edit]
The limits of observation as visualized by the Milky Way's star density map. Source: Gaia spacecraft's 2021 data release

Many projects have attempted to bridge the gap in knowledge caused by the Zone of Avoidance. The dust and gas in the Milky Way cause extinction at optical wavelengths, and foreground stars can be confused with background galaxies. However, the effect of extinction drops at longer wavelengths, such as the infrared, and the Milky Way is effectively transparent at radio wavelengths. Surveys in the infrared, such as IRAS and 2MASS, have given a more complete picture of the extragalactic sky. Two very large nearby galaxies, Maffei 1 and Maffei 2, were discovered in the Zone of Avoidance by Paolo Maffei by their infrared emission in 1968. Even so, approximately 10% of the sky remains difficult to survey as extragalactic objects can be confused with stars in the Milky Way.

Projects to survey the Zone of Avoidance at radio wavelengths, particularly using the 21 cm spin-flip emission line of neutral atomic hydrogen (known in astronomical parlance as H I line), have detected many galaxies that could not be detected in the infrared. Examples of galaxies detected from their HI emission include Dwingeloo 1 and Dwingeloo 2, discovered in 1994 and 1996, respectively.

Recent astronomical studies revealed a supercluster of galaxies, termed the Vela Supercluster, in the Great Attractor's theorized location.[5]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Ferreira, Becky (3 November 2022). "Scientists Discover Huge 'Extragalactic Structure' in Hidden Region of Space - The obscured "zone of avoidance" in space is a place of mystery, and scientists are peering at what's inside it". Vice. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  2. ^ Starr, Michelle (14 July 2020). "A Giant 'Wall' of Galaxies Has Been Found Stretching Across The Universe". ScienceAlert.com. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  3. ^ Robinson, L. J.; Tirion, W.; Moore, P. (2002). Astronomy encyclopedia. London, UK: Philip's – via Credo Reference.
  4. ^ Kraan-Korteweg & Lahav. 2000, p. 2
  5. ^ Renée C. Kraan-Korteweg; Cluver, Michelle E.; Maciej Bilicki; Thomas H. Jarrett; Matthew Colless; Ahmed Elagali; Hans Böhringer; Gayoung Chon (8 November 2016). "Discovery of a supercluster in the Zone of Avoidance in Vela". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters. 466 (1): L29–L33. arXiv:1611.04615. Bibcode:2017MNRAS.466L..29K. doi:10.1093/MNRASL/SLW229. ISSN 1745-3933. Wikidata Q55892376.

Sources

[edit]
Look up zone of avoidance in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
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