How a planetarium show led to a cosmic breakthrough

Independent

03-06-2025

Scientists at the American Museum of Natural History discovered the true shape of the Oort Cloud, a region far beyond Pluto, while preparing a planetarium show called 'Encounters in the Milky Way '.
The inner section of the Oort Cloud, which is made of billions of comets, was found to resemble a bar with two waving arms, similar to the Milky Way galaxy.
The spiral shape was identified by experts when fine-tuning a scene featuring the Oort Cloud, which is filled with icy relics.
This discovery challenges the long-held belief that the Oort Cloud was shaped like a sphere or flattened shell.
Researchers published their findings in The Astrophysical Journal, noting that this discovery marks a significant shift in understanding the outer solar system.