A Tour of the Galactic Center Visualization
(Credit: NASA/CXC/A. Hobart)
[Runtime: 02:30]

With closed-captions (at YouTube)

It's often debated whether doing a sequel to a beloved movie is a good idea or not. A new visualization of the Milky Way's center is showing that "part two" of a galactic story is indeed better than the first.

This new movie is actually an immersive, ultra-high-definition visualization that allows viewers to view the center of our Galaxy as if they were sitting in the position of the Milky Way's supermassive black hole known as Sagittarius A* (Sgr A* for short) and could see X-rays. This new 360-movie offers an unparalleled opportunity to look around the center of the Milky Way in any direction the user chooses.

By combining NASA Ames supercomputer simulations with data from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory, the latest visualization provides a new perspective of what is happening in and around the center of the Milky Way galaxy. From the vantage point of Sgr A*, the viewer can witness the effects of dozens of massive stellar giants with fierce winds blowing off their surfaces in the region a few light years surrounding Sgr A*. Watch as these winds provide a buffet of material for the 4-million-solar-mass black hole to feed upon. Sometimes dense clumps of material stream toward Sgr A*, and other times clumps of gas will collide resulting in a flash of X-rays.

Viewers can explore the Galactic Center in this new visualization using their laptop, smartphone, or virtual reality goggles.

A Quick Look at the Galactic Center Visualization
(Credit: NASA/CXC/A. Hobart)
[Runtime: 01:08]

A sequel to an unusual real-life movie starring the Milky Way has been released.

This new movie is an immersive, 360-degree, ultra-high-definition view of the center of our Galaxy.

By combining data from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory with supercomputer simulations, a researcher has created a spectacular show.

This visualization shows the effects of massive stellar giants blowing off powerful winds in the region around the Galaxy's supermassive black hole.

Astronomers can use this visualization to study the environment around the black hole and the powerful gravitational forces there.

Anyone may explore the Galactic Center in this new visualization for free using their laptop, smartphone, or virtual reality goggles.

Galactic Center 360-degree Visualization (Highest Resolution)
(Credit: NASA/CXC/Pontifical Catholic Univ. of Chile /C.Russell et al.)

A new immersive, 360-degree, ultra-high-definition visualization allows viewers to view the center of our Galaxy as if they were sitting in the position of the Milky Way's supermassive black hole (Sgr A*).

By combining supercomputer simulations with Chandra data, the visualization shows the effects of dozens of massive stellar giants with fierce winds blowing off their surfaces in the region covering a few light years surrounding Sgr A*.

Blue and cyan represent X-ray emission from hot gas with temperatures of tens of millions of degrees, while the red emission shows ultraviolet emission from moderately dense regions of cooler gas with temperatures of tens of thousands of degrees, and yellow shows the cooler gas with the highest densities.

Galactic Center 360-degree Visualization (Low Resolution)
(Credit: NASA/CXC/Pontifical Catholic Univ. of Chile /C.Russell et al.)

A new immersive, 360-degree, ultra-high-definition visualization allows viewers to view the center of our Galaxy as if they were sitting in the position of the Milky Way's supermassive black hole (Sgr A*).

By combining supercomputer simulations with Chandra data, the visualization shows the effects of dozens of massive stellar giants with fierce winds blowing off their surfaces in the region covering a few light years surrounding Sgr A*.

Blue and cyan represent X-ray emission from hot gas with temperatures of tens of millions of degrees, while the red emission shows ultraviolet emission from moderately dense regions of cooler gas with temperatures of tens of thousands of degrees, and yellow shows the cooler gas with the highest densities.

Video of the Galactic Center Visualization (Video only, no 360-degree features)
(Credit: NASA/CXC/Pontifical Catholic Univ. of Chile /C.Russell et al.)
[Runtime: 01:36]

A new immersive, 360-degree, ultra-high-definition visualization allows viewers to view the center of our Galaxy as if they were sitting in the position of the Milky Way's supermassive black hole (Sgr A*).

By combining supercomputer simulations with Chandra data, the visualization shows the effects of dozens of massive stellar giants with fierce winds blowing off their surfaces in the region covering a few light years surrounding Sgr A*.

Blue and cyan represent X-ray emission from hot gas with temperatures of tens of millions of degrees, while the red emission shows ultraviolet emission from moderately dense regions of cooler gas with temperatures of tens of thousands of degrees, and yellow shows the cooler gas with the highest densities.