NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory has produced new data indicating that the outer spiral arms of the Milky Way extend farther than astronomers had previously believed.

A team of astronomers reached this conclusion by taking precise measurements of distances to dust clouds within the galaxy, NASA reported. Those measurements formed the basis for the revised picture of the Milky Way's outer structure.

The finding, according to NASA, could lead astronomers to revise their current understanding of how the Milky Way is shaped. Mapping the galaxy's true dimensions has long depended on the accuracy of such distance measurements, and the Chandra observatory provided the data needed to push those measurements further than before.

NASA said the research was carried out by a dedicated team of astronomers working with Chandra's X-ray imaging capabilities. The outer spiral arms, per NASA, appear to reach distances beyond what earlier models had placed them.