What would a planet between spiral arms witness when the next arm passes by?
Answer
A dramatic burst of new bright stars sweeping up gas and dust
A hypothetical observer located in the relatively quiescent region between the spiral arms experiences an episodic galactic environment. When the next spiral density wave approaches and passes, it sweeps up all the available gas and dust concentrated in that plane. This sudden and intense clumping triggers the formation of new stars. Therefore, the observer would witness a dramatic burst of cosmic activity characterized by the appearance of new, bright stars, followed by a return to a quieter period as the arm moves past and the material disperses again until the next wave arrives.
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