Milky Way galaxy is not flat but warped

Researchers at the University of Warsaw discovered that our galaxy is more unusual than previously thought. It was believed that the Milky Way was relatively flat but new analysis indicates our galaxy has a warped and uneven central disk. The reason for this is unknown. It could be due to interactions with dark matter or massive interstellar gas clouds, or perhaps a close encounter with another galaxy billions of years ago. More details at ExtremeTech.

The 3D model of the Milky Way created by the researchers paints a picture of a galaxy that’s far from flat. Instead, the thickness of the galactic disk varies considerably, and it gets more variable the farther you get from the galactic core. In fact, the edges of the disk twist away from the core in opposite directions. The video below is in Polish, but it has a few useful visuals. Alien astronomers looking at the Milky Way from someplace else probably think our galaxy looks quite unusual.