Astronomers have unveiled the first-ever 3D map of interstellar dust in the Milky Way, a breakthrough that opens up a new frontier in cosmic exploration! This pioneering study charts the properties of dust for over 130 million stars, reaching distances of up to 16,308 light years.
Led by Chinese doctoral student Zhang Xiangyu at Germany's Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, alongside advisor Gregory Green, the research blended data from China's Large Sky Area Multi-Object Fiber Spectroscopic Telescope (LAMOST) and the European Space Agency's Gaia observatory. By tackling the challenge of light "extinction"—where dust absorbs and scatters starlight—the team has provided astronomers with a powerful tool to refine celestial observations and deepen our understanding of astrochemistry and galactic evolution.
Published as the cover story in the latest issue of the Science academic journal, this 3D dust map is already being hailed as a game-changer, much like unlocking a secret level in your favorite game! 
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
