Mapping the Milky Way’s Hidden Superclouds

Kormann et al. use new Gaia-based 3D dust maps to identify seven massive, kiloparsec-long superclouds in the local Milky Way. These structures are highly elongated, mostly parallel, and contain most nearby star-forming regions. Many show vertical undulations, and despite differing masses, they maintain similar densities, suggesting pressure-regulated formation driven by large-scale Galactic dynamics rather than spiral arms.