Scutum–Centaurus Arm

E20344

The Scutum–Centaurus Arm is one of the major spiral arms of the Milky Way galaxy, rich in stars, gas, and star-forming regions.


Statements (47)
Predicate Object
instanceOf spiral arm
structure of the Milky Way
alsoKnownAs Scutum–Crux–Centaurus Arm
armType major spiral arm
componentOf Milky Way spiral structure
connectedTo Galactic bar
contains H II regions
Scutum Star Cloud
W43 star-forming complex
giant molecular clouds
infrared dark clouds
interstellar gas
maser sources
massive star-forming region G29.96−0.02
massive young stars
molecular clouds
numerous OB associations
open star clusters
radio continuum sources
star-forming regions
stars
young stellar objects
extendsThrough Centaurus constellation region
Scutum constellation region
galaxy Milky Way
locatedIn Milky Way disk
Milky Way inner region
namedAfter Centaurus constellation
Scutum constellation
observedIn infrared wavelengths
optical wavelengths
radio wavelengths
orientation roughly along Galactic longitude 20–50 degrees in inner Galaxy
originatesNear Galactic center
partOf Milky Way
positionInGalaxy inner major arm inside the Sun’s orbit
richIn dense molecular gas
massive star-forming complexes
young stellar populations
role major site of star formation in the Milky Way
separatedFrom Norma Arm
Sagittarius Arm
spiralPattern logarithmic spiral
tracedBy 21-cm hydrogen line emission
CO molecular line emission
maser parallax measurements
visibleFrom Earth

Referenced by (2)
Subject (surface form when different) Predicate
Scutum–Centaurus Arm ("Scutum–Crux–Centaurus Arm")
alsoKnownAs
Milky Way
contains

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