Washington: Our Milky Way is suffering from a mid-life crisis and will slow down its production of stars over the next billion years, say planetary scientists.
Galaxies typically fall into one of two categories – energetic blue galaxies that form new stars at an impressive rate, or lethargic red galaxies which are slowly dying. But, a team at Swinburne University of Technology has shown our own Milky Way galaxy is neither of these. Rather it is a rare "green valley" galaxy that is half way between a youthful blue galaxy and a geriatric red one.
This is the first time that the scientists have compared both the colour and the star formation rate of the Milky Way to that of other galaxies in the Universe, the 'Astrophysical Journal' reported.
"Determining the state of our own galaxy while we're stuck inside it is very difficult to do. The phrase 'it's hard to see the forest for the trees' really rings true here," Dr Darren Croton, who led the team, said.
Source: The Indian Express. 26-05-2011