Planck image shows large-scale structure in the Milky Way
Date: 16 March 2010
Satellite: Planck
Copyright: ESA and the HFI Consortium. Credits for inset: ESA and the SPIRE & PACS consortia, P. André (CEA Saclay) for the Gould's Belt Key Programme Consortium
Filamentary structures are apparent at large-scales (as shown in this Planck image) and small-scales (as seen on the left, a Herschel image of a region in the Aquila constellation) in the Milky Way.
This Planck image, covering a portion of the sky about 55 degrees in total extent, was obtained by the Planck High Frequency Instrument at a frequency of 857 GHz (corresponding to a wavelength of 350 micrometres). The bright horizontal band corresponds to the plane of our spiral Galaxy, which is seen in cross-section from our vantage point. The colours in the Planck images represent the intensity of heat radiation by dust.
This Planck image was obtained during the first Planck all-sky survey which began in mid-August 2009. By mid-March 2010 more than 98% of the sky had been observed by Planck. Because of the way Planck scans the sky, 100% sky coverage for the first survey will not be completed until late-May 2010.
