This artist's concept illustrates astronomers’ new view of the Milky Way. The galaxy's two major arms (Scutum-Centaurus and Perseus) attach to the ends of a thick central bar. Two minor arms (Norma and Sagittarius) appear less distinct. The major arms host the highest densities of both young and old stars. The minor arms are primarily filled with gas and pockets of star-forming activity. A new feature called the Far 3-kiloparsec Arm was discovered by radio surveys of galactic gas. Our Sun lies near a small patch called the Orion Spur, located between the Sagittarius and Perseus arms.