Local Interstellar Cloud

E18765

The Local Interstellar Cloud is a diffuse, partially ionized region of gas and dust in the Milky Way through which the Solar System is currently traveling.


Statements (47)
Predicate Object
instanceOf astronomical object
astrophysical structure
interstellar cloud
affects heliosphere size
shape of the heliosphere
alsoKnownAs Local Fluff
contains dust
partially ionized gas
hasApproximateDistanceScale tens of light-years
hasApproximateElectronDensity about 0.1 electrons per cubic centimeter
hasApproximateExtent about 10 parsecs
about 30 light-years
hasApproximateHydrogenNumberDensity 0.1 atoms per cubic centimeter
hasApproximateMagneticFieldStrength on the order of a few microgauss
hasApproximateNeutralHydrogenColumnDensity about 10^17 to 10^18 per square centimeter
hasApproximateTemperature about 7000 kelvin
hasBoundaryInteractionWith heliopause
hasComposition helium
hydrogen
trace heavier elements
hasDustToGasRatio similar to average interstellar medium
hasEffectOn cosmic ray modulation near Earth
hasIonizationState partially ionized
hasKinematicProperty flows past the Sun
hasMagneticField yes
hasObservationWavelength X-ray (indirect constraints)
ultraviolet
hasPhase warm partially ionized medium
hasPhysicalState diffuse
hasRegionType warm interstellar medium
hasRelationToSun current interstellar environment of the Sun
hasScientificDiscipline astrophysics
interstellar medium studies
isEmbeddedIn hot low-density gas of the Local Bubble
isNear Apex Cloud
G cloud
isTraversedBy Solar System
isWithin Orion Arm
solar neighborhood
locatedIn Local Bubble
Milky Way
partOf local interstellar medium
relativeVelocityToSolarSystem about 15 miles per second
about 26 kilometers per second
studiedBy space-based telescopes
ultraviolet absorption line observations
surrounds Solar System

Referenced by (4)
Subject (surface form when different) Predicate
Local Bubble
Orion Arm
contains
Sol
locatedIn
Sun
memberOf

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