Astronomers have announced that they have discovered an ‘interstellar tunnel’ near the region where our solar system is located, which could open up to other galaxies.

According to the discovery, this tunnel is part of a huge hot gas structure called Local Hot Bubble (LHB), which surrounds our solar system and is hundreds of light years wide. Even more interesting, There are indications that this tunnel may connect to an adjacent area.

Interstellar tunnel discovered from telescope data

The research team used the first X-ray observatory outside Earth’s atmosphere to explore this tunnel. From the extensive data collected by the eROSITA telescope benefited. By creating a three-dimensional model of the entire local hot bubble in light of this data, the researchers not only confirmed some features that astronomers had hypothesized for years, but also revealed completely new structures.

Michael Freyberg, one of the authors of the study from the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics, said: “We have discovered a new interstellar tunnel toward Centaurus, creating a hole in the cooler interstellar medium.” He made a statement. He added that they achieved this discovery thanks to the improved sensitivity of eROSITA and a different research strategy compared to the previous space telescope ROSAT.

Can it be used for travel in the future?

Scientists first proposed the existence of the Local Hot Bubble fifty years ago to explain the prevalence of background X-rays. Because interstellar space is filled with clouds of gas and dustThese X-rays should have been absorbed long ago, but the detection of lower energy X-rays in the region of the interstellar medium indicated the existence of space around our Solar System.

According to astronomers, this bubble may have formed about 14 million years ago when a chain of supernovae scattered the surrounding interstellar material, creating a gap about 1,000 light-years wide. It is still possible to find remnants of these supernovae today.

Detailed modeling of the Local Hot Bubble also reveals temperature differences across the region. The fact that the northern part of the structure is hotter than the south suggests that new supernova explosions that have occurred over the past few million years have warmed the region.

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