On June 2, 2025, the American Museum of Natural History in New York presented a planetarium show titled Encounters in the Milky Way. While creating this show in 2024, a surprising phenomenon was discovered in the Oort Cloud, a distant region filled with icy objects beyond Pluto. Researchers saw a spiral shape while using real comet data. The spiral looked like a bar with curved arms, much like the Milky Way. Before this, the Oort Cloud was believed to be round. This new interpretation of the structure was published in The Astrophysical Journal and attracted attention in the scientific field.

The pattern was found using computer models made by David Nesvorny of the Southwest Research Institute. These models helped establish that the shape of the Oort Cloud might be more complex than expected. Planetary scientist Andre Izidoro said the discovery was significant and could change how experts see the outer solar system. Even though the spiral is not yet visible through direct observation, changes in comet paths may confirm the idea. The museum team’s focus on science helped make the finding possible, showing that visual simulations can lead to real discoveries.