Scott Hershberger: The birth of the galaxy in 60 seconds

The birth of the galaxy in 60 seconds

Thirteen billion years ago, the gas and dust particles that eventually became our Milky Way were whizzing around in every direction. Despite the wild motion of its parts, the galaxy as a whole was rotating about an axis. So why did the Milky Way, like most galaxies, become flat, and not spherical like stars and planets? Scott Hershberger explores the ever-evolving structure of our galaxy. [Directed by Josh O'Caoimh, Mikai Geronimo, narrated by Addison Anderson, music by Salil Bhayani, cAMP Studio].

Galaxies like the Milky Way are not fixed in form but constantly evolve, shaped by the interplay of angular momentum and gravity. Thirteen billion years ago, chaotic clouds of gas and dust settled into a spinning disc, forming the galaxy’s iconic spiral arms. These arms are not static; they shift as waves of density ripple through, causing stars to migrate in and out. Even now, the spirals may look very different than when Earth first formed, and in five billion years, a collision with Andromeda will transform the Milky Way yet again.