Galactic Pumpkin

The Milky Way galaxy has been popularized as a vast agglomeration of stars shaped like a lens or a discus, or like two very shallow saucers glued together rim to rim. So far as the dense masses of the Milky Way are concerned, this is scientifically correct. But in recent years astronomical research has disclosed, far above and below the disk, a sparse population of stars which cosmically and gravitationally belong to the Milky Way galaxy. Harlow Shapley of Harvard Observatory, famed cosmic map maker, has interested himself in these galactic outriders.

At a meeting of the International Astronomical Union in Stockholm last week, Dr. Shapley reported on 2,000 Cepheid variables (giant stars which fluctuate regularly in brightness) at considerable distances from the Milky Way's central plane. These have the effect of stretching the galaxy's "vertical" diameter to about 80,000 light-years.** The diameter across the disk is put at 100,000 lightyears. Thus, the flattish lens of the Milky Way is enclosed in a globe of stars, and the galaxy's total shape resembles a pumpkin.

**One light-year equals about six trillion miles.

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