G-Cloud

This article is about the interstellar cloud. For the UK Government Cloud initiative, see UK Government G-Cloud.

G-Cloud
Interstellar cloud
The G-Cloud complex and neighboring Local Interstellar Cloud
Observation data
DesignationsG Cloud[1]
See also: Lists of nebulae

The Galactic cloud, G cloud,[2] G-Cloud or G-Cloud complex, is an interstellar cloud located next to the Local Interstellar Cloud, within the Local Bubble. It is unknown whether the Solar System is embedded in the Local Interstellar Cloud or in the region where the two clouds are interacting, although the Solar System is currently moving towards the G-Cloud. The G-Cloud contains the stars Alpha Centauri (a triple star system that includes Proxima Centauri) and Altair (and possibly others).[3][4][5][6][7][8]

Estimates for the n(H I) particle density in the direction of Alpha Centauri. were made in 2011 by Crawford[9] as 0.1 cm−3 and in 2014 by Gry[10] as 0.098 cm−3.

  1. ^ "NAME G Cloud". SIMBAD. Centre de données astronomiques de Strasbourg. Retrieved 15 March 2014.
  2. ^ Swaczyna, Paweł; Schwadron, Nathan A.; Möbius, Eberhard; Bzowski, Maciej; Frisch, Priscilla C.; Linsky, Jeffrey L.; McComas, David J.; Rahmanifard, Fatemeh; Redfield, Seth; Winslow, Réka M.; Wood, Brian E.; Zank, Gary P. (1 October 2022). "Mixing Interstellar Clouds Surrounding the Sun". The Astrophysical Journal Letters. 937 (2): L32. arXiv:2209.09927. Bibcode:2022ApJ...937L..32S. doi:10.3847/2041-8213/ac9120. ISSN 2041-8205.
  3. ^ "Our Local Galactic Neighborhood". Interstellar.jpl.nasa.gov. Archived from the original on 21 November 2013. Retrieved 7 October 2015.
  4. ^ Paul Gilster (1 September 2010). "Into the Interstellar Void". Centauri-dreams.org.
  5. ^ "The Interstellar Medium". Archived from the original on 19 April 2012. Retrieved 22 October 2012.
  6. ^ Seth Redfield (2009). "Physical Properties of the Local Interstellar Medium" (PDF). Igpp.ucla.edu. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 August 2014. Retrieved 22 October 2012.
  7. ^ Frisch., Priscilla (3 February 2003). "Local Interstellar Matter: The Apex Cloud". The Astrophysical Journal. 593 (2): 868–873. arXiv:astro-ph/0302037. Bibcode:2003ApJ...593..868F. doi:10.1086/376684. S2CID 7087871.
  8. ^ "Short Sharp Science: Spacecraft probes gas cloud swaddling the solar system". Newscientist.com. 2 February 2012.
  9. ^ Crawford, Ian A. (1 April 2011). "Project Icarus: A review of local interstellar medium properties of relevance for space missions to the nearest stars". Acta Astronautica. 68 (7): 691–699. arXiv:1010.4823. Bibcode:2011AcAau..68..691C. doi:10.1016/j.actaastro.2010.10.016. ISSN 0094-5765. S2CID 101553.
  10. ^ Gry, Cécile; Jenkins, Edward B. (July 2014). "The interstellar cloud surrounding the Sun: a new perspective". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 567: A58. arXiv:1404.0326. Bibcode:2014A&A...567A..58G. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201323342. ISSN 0004-6361. S2CID 118571335.