Evolution of Milky Way Map Not Proof of Mandela Effect

Reading about the Milky Way online is confusing, not often presented with historical context, and people preaching ME use it to their advantage to push a false narrative.

This write-up will outline there is nothing mystical about changes to the model of the Milky Way.

Note: I find it hard to believe people would think our knowledge of the Milky Way would be static over a lifetime. Educational maps from their childhood taken as gospel. Similar to using a child's educational jigsaw puzzle of the fifty states to drive from Florida to Alaska.

First, The obvious.

From: www.universetoday.com...
Published 2016

“In truth, all the pictures that depict our galaxy are either artist’s renditions or pictures of other spiral galaxies, and not the result of direct observation of the whole. Until recently, it was very difficult for scientists to gauge what the Milky Way really looks like, mainly because we’re inside it.”

Second, How big is the Milky?
Internet research reveals Harlow Shapley, around 1917, was the first to come up with a credible number. However, research at first glance offers a contradiction that could be interpreted as ME. One source might say he calculated the size of the Milky Way as 300,000 light years in diameter. Earth 50,000 light years from galactic center. Another source gives 100,000 light years diameter, and earth 30,000 light years from center. Other sources will mention in passing he was the first with correct figures. Sources often do not mention that he corrected his original findings. What looks like a case of ME is just sloppy fact giving without back story.

The current view is anywhere from 100,000 to 180,000 light years. Why? The internet offers no ready explanation without digging into the facts.

From: www.universetoday.com...
“If you are just measuring the normal matter we can see (in visible, infrared, X-ray and ultraviolet light), then the Milky Way is at least 100,000 light years across. The diameter is a bit larger (120,000 light years) if you take into account tidal streams – basically other galaxies the Milky Way is eating, such as the Sagittarius Dwarf Elliptical Galaxy.

But normal matter isn’t all that makes up the Milky Way. Simulations of our galaxy show that it has a “halo” of dark matter, which makes up about 10 times the mass of the visible matter in the Milky Way.”

Note: I had no idea the Milky Way was eating up another galaxy at present????

When viewing a Map of the Milky Way, what portion of the galaxy is the artist depicting. Just the luminous part. The parts picked up by visible, ultraviolet, radio wave, and x-ray detection. The Milky Way with its dark matter halo by artistic license?

Three, what arm are we in?

From: earthsky.org...

“It turns out we’re not located in one of the Milky Way’s two primary spiral arms. Instead, we’re located in a minor arm of the galaxy. Our local spiral arm is sometimes Orion Arm, or sometimes the Orion Spur. It’s between the Sagittarius and Perseus Arms of the Milky Way.”

Some sources will mention only the Sagittarius arm. Others sources will only mention the Perseus Arm, or only the Orion spur.

Lack of consensus and continuity in the presentation of the Milky Way gives those who are part of the cult of ME a way to hoodwink the gullible.

Lastly, the arms are referenced by different names.

Sagittarius Arm Names

From: en.m.wikipedia.org...–Sagittarius_Arm

“The Carina–Sagittarius Arm (also known as Sagittarius Arm or Sagittarius–Carina Arm, labeled -I) is generally thought to be a minor spiral arm of our home galaxy, the Milky Way.”

Guess Perseus Arm has mainly one reference. Some FYI

From:en.m.wikipedia.org...
“The Perseus Arm is one of two major spiral arms of the Milky Way galaxy. The second major arm is called Scutum–Centaurus Arm. Perseus Arm begins from the distal end of the long Milky Way.[1] Previously thought to be 13,000 light-years away, it is now thought to lie 6,400 light years from the Solar System.”

Orion Spur Names.

From: earthsky.org...
“The Orion Arm, or Orion Spur, has other names as well. It’s sometimes simply called the Local Arm, or the Orion-Cygnus Arm, or the Local Spur.”

Final Reference for FYI

From: www.atlasoftheuniverse.com...
“There are two methods traditionally used to map the spiral structure of our Galaxy. The first method is to study the density of the neutral hydrogen (HI) in the plane of the Galaxy which is enhanced in the spiral arms. This was first attempted by Jan Oort, Frank Kerr, and Gart Westerhout in 1958. They studied the galactic system as a spiral nebula by using radio-telescopes in the Netherlands and Australia. The early version of their map (incomplete on the left side) shows various sections of the spiral arms. The second method is to plot the giant HII regions (bright nebulae of ionised hydrogen) which are usually formed in the spiral arms. This was attempted by Yvonne and Yvon Georgelin in 1976. They studied the spiral structure of our Galaxy determined from H II regions. Their map allowed them to determine where the spiral arms are.”

It seems about every twenty years new technology and observatories allows for the creation of a more accurate model of the Milky Way.

Conclusion.
Internet articles are short on in-depth reporting, leaving gaps that can be taken as ME for those not choosing to research a subject fully. No defining what is depicted, lack of historical context, and inconsistencies in naming can enhance the confusion.

The different stages of the development for the Milky Way model are taken out of context and used to push a personal agenda of Mandela Effect.

Personal. The reason I have become a skeptic. It seems conspiracies are pushed by other means than transparency and academic honesty. Conspiracies are preached by taking things out of context. Survive by persons jumping on the bandwagon with no independent research.

Remember ME, you only have observations of pop culture. Misquoted movie lines are only an observation. Proof is only when a hypothesis is supported by data collection from reproducible experiments that explains why people engage in the same misquote.

a reply to: neutronflux

I have not looked into this 'milky way' ME, but that wouldn't disprove all others.

"Remember ME, you only have observations of pop culture. Misquoted movie lines are only an observation" is not all the ME has.

This is the second rant about the ME in general today. It seems that the people who would be least interested in the ME are writing, even ranting about it.

a reply to: reldra

I think it's hard to debate with ME persons. Many studies on the fallibility of human memory / eyewitness accounts, and the power of suggestion. Especially when large groups are exposed to the same pop culture and absorb similar pseudoscience videos on YouTube.

It's the ever devotion they insist they have better perception and the timeline jumping with no science to back it up. The most obvious, the amount of energy to hop across parallel universe boundaries if it's even possible. The leaving and entry surely would have a physical effect. Sorry to use a pop culture reference, but good visual, like the time entry in the terminator movies? (It's good fantasy spurs the imagination. It's harmful when people lose sight of what is real and credible.)

We should all have a reasonable and respectfully questioning attitude and help hold our colleagues to the highest levels of credibility. Does the truth deserve any less. Unfortunately I have engaged in a few ATS squabbles. The old how to respectfully call BS.

a reply to: neutronflux

When I saw the map of the habitable zone for the milkyway today I was completely shaken. It says the only habitable zone is in the central part of the milkyway. In my reality It was thought the only habitable zone was on the outskirts of the galaxy because life needed a stable quiet place to evolve. Now it says it would be to cold out there for life to evolve lol do they even realize stars come in different sizes and if it was big enough you would be able to sustain a earth like planet who even made that map. Consider the fact that maybe ME experiencers are telling the truth did you ever consider that. In my timeline nasa sent out 2 probes call serveyor 1 and 2 in separate directions 10 years later they sent back images and info that told nasa where we were located it was all the way at the outskirts of the galaxy not inside somekind of dust cloud.

a reply to: neutronflux

Be gone with your anti-mandelite and mandelist notions!

The church of Mandela will not hear of such heresy!

Next you'll tell us the earth is round!

I still cannot figure out how they can tell what our milky way looks like from this point in space we are in. I look at it and wonder if they are just guessing based on the shape of other galaxies we can see and are creating evidence to prove the conclusion is real. It could be a double ring or something, I do not believe any instruments we have can positively identify the shape. But of course, I cannot contest their beliefs because I have no proof otherwise, they have created proof to show they are right. If you look at it with the belief it is the shape it was given by someone a while back, you can create technology to show that is true.