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The birth of the galaxy in 60 seconds - Scott Hershberger

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774 Questions Answered

TEDEd Animation

Let’s Begin…

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.

How long does the spiral structure created by a companion galaxy last? What about the spiral structure created by two or more overlapping density waves?

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TED-Ed Animations feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed Animation? Nominate yourself here »

Meet The Creators

  • Educator Scott Hershberger
  • Director Mikai Geronimo, Josh O'Caoimh
  • Narrator Addison Anderson
  • Sound Designer Amanda P.H. Bennett, cAMP Studio
  • Composer Salil Bhayani, cAMP Studio
  • Director of Production Gerta Xhelo
  • Produced by Abdallah Ewis
  • Editorial Director Alex Rosenthal
  • Editorial Producer Shannon Odell
  • Fact-Checker Charles Wallace

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