Home Astronomy Our Galaxy

Our Galaxy

by Enigma

Our Galaxy forms a disc a little thicker in the center that is observed in profile, which is why the Milky Way seems very long and quite thin. The stars are concentrated in the central part located in the constellation Sagittarius. It is the widest and brightest region.

Paradoxically it is also the most opaque region of the Milky Way because it contains a lot of dust that hides the light of the stars in the background; these are all the dark stripes that you see in the middle of the picture below. At the ends, near the constellations of the Coachman (Auriga) and Gemini (Gemini), it dissipates and can hardly be seen with the naked eye among the nearby stars.

Thanks to radio astronomy and infrared telescopes that can cross dark clouds of dust to observe the other side of the Milky Way, almost all of its shape has been determined. Thus it was discovered that our galaxy had several very tight spiral arms that wrapped around the nucleus. She is escorted by two satellite galaxies, the two Magellanic Clouds visible in the Southern Hemisphere, a little away from the Milky Way.

Our galaxy, with a large “G” to distinguish it from other galaxies, is similar to the billions of other galaxies that populate the universe. We will come back to this in the next chapter.

The Milky Way is one of the largest and most massive galaxies, containing between 200 and 400 billion stars similar to the Sun. Some are younger and are located in the bluish spiral arms where a lot of gas has accumulated, the others are much older than the Sun and are concentrated in the core which has a yellow-orange color. These stars are so close to each other in the heart of the Milky Way that it is impossible to count them!

The Milky Way seen in profile. Our Galaxy is about 120,000 light years in diameter and contains between 200 and 400 billion stars. Its total mass reaches 700 to 850 billion times that of the Sun, as much as the galaxy of Andromeda.

The Milky Way is very large and it is quite difficult to imagine its dimensions: it is about 120,000 light-years in diameter. The Sun is about 25,000 light-years from the center in an area about 700 light-years thick. The Milky Way turns slightly on itself but it is so big that the Sun and the planets take about 250 million years to go around.

All the stars that you see in the sky belong to the Milky Way. They are located near the Sun, at most a few thousand light-years away. The nearest star is Proxima Centauri. It is 4.3 light years away.

You may also like

109,060 comments

luxury car rental miami_xska August 2, 2026 - 5:53 am

Yo travelers Others hit you with surprise charges after you return the vehicle Almost stopped renting luxury cars altogether The only rental place in Miami that doesn’t mess around — luxury vehicle rentals for dream vacations Cars are showroom quality Anyway, save it for your trip — car rentals miami https://www.pinterest.com/pin/1092122978527737165 Don’t fall for those sketchy rental companies Pass this on to anyone heading to Miami in style

Reply
single_sikt August 2, 2026 - 6:09 am

OK — been using this thing for something like a few months now and it’s stuck on my phone, reckon I’d say something since someone asked me a few days back. I’m in the UK, generally bet football and racing, small stakes, for context.

What got me on it was honestly embarrassing — I could never work out what an each way return would be with 1/5 odds a place. I used to just wing it and get a shock. These days I type the odds in before I place anything, even the boring singles.

Their single bet calculator is the one I’m on daily — you put in your stake, the odds and it spits out returns straight away, fractions or decimals. There’s also the multiples — trebles maths, lucky 15 and lucky 63, yankees, honestly that’s where I always got it wrong. If you fancy a poke about, it’s here bet calculator lucky 63 and it’s free with no account nonsense.

What actually made a difference were the nerdier bits. The implied probability calculator and it makes obvious the overround, and there’s the kelly tool — I stick to fractional kelly since full stakes are terrifying. The dutching one gets used a fair bit when I’m spreading across selections.

Couple of gripes. The interface feels very functional, let’s say — no flash, which honestly I don’t mind but some will. Phone-wise it’s usable although the acca grid make you pinch and zoom. Also there’s no app, it’s browser only — doesn’t bother me but you asked.

Right, that’s me. Doesn’t cost anything, barely any ads, does the job. If anyone still works out returns on a calculator app, have a look — it’s saved me plenty of arguments with the bookie.

Reply
Shawnvop August 2, 2026 - 6:10 am

Buy generic 100mg Viagra online MedMenNews best price for viagra 100mg

Reply
JessieHef August 2, 2026 - 6:11 am

Viagra Tablet price: Med Men News – sildenafil 50 mg price

Reply
single_bjkt August 2, 2026 - 6:18 am

Right — been using this thing for about five months now and it’s stuck on my phone, so figured I’d write something up since a mate asked me the other day. Am UK based, mostly do football and horses, a fiver here and there, just so you know where I’m coming from.

The reason I started using it was actually embarrassing — I could never work out what an ew return would be with 1/5 odds a place. I used to just guess and get a shock. Now type the odds in before every slip, even a straight one-selection punt.

The single bet calculator is the one I’m on daily — you drop in stake and odds and it spits out profit and total return instantly, fractional or decimal, doesn’t matter. Same tool covers the bigger stuff — acca and treble maths, lucky 15 and lucky 63, a yankee, which is where most people I know got it wrong. If you fancy a poke about, it lives at super yankee calculator — free, no signup.

The thing that actually shifted things for me was the nerdier bits. The odds-to-probability converter that shows the overround, and a kelly tool — I stick to fractional kelly as the full version is far too aggressive. The dutch tool gets used a fair bit when I’m splitting a race.

Not all sunshine though. Its interface is very functional, let’s say — no polish, which honestly I don’t mind but some will. On mobile it’s usable but the lucky 63 breakdown are a squeeze. And nothing on the app store, just the site — slight shame but worth saying.

Anyway. Free, barely any ads, does the job. If anyone even now adds it up in their head, have a look — saved me a fair few arguments with the bookie.

Reply
Vivod iz zapoya na domy_cdmi August 2, 2026 - 6:24 am

Люди подскажите Ситуация критическая Соседи стучат в стену Нужна срочная помощь на дому Короче, единственное что вытащило из запоя — вывод из запоя на дому самара круглосуточно без выходных Через пару часов человек пришёл в себя В общем, не потеряйте контакты — вывод из запоя вызов на дом https://alkogolizm.vyvod-iz-zapoya-na-domu-samara-abc.ru Звоните прямо сейчас Перешлите тем кто в такой же ситуации

Reply
Vivod iz zapoya na domy_sqKn August 2, 2026 - 6:28 am

Питер, всем привет Близкий человек уже несколько дней в запое Жена в истерике Нужна срочная помощь на дому Короче, врачи приехали и поставили систему — вывод из запоя спб анонимно Поставили капельницу с детоксикационным раствором В общем, телефон и цены тут — выведение из запоя на дому санкт-петербург выведение из запоя на дому санкт-петербург Звоните прямо сейчас Перешлите тем кто в такой же ситуации

Reply
Vivod iz zapoya na domy_ceEr August 2, 2026 - 6:31 am

Слушайте кто сталкивался Ситуация критическая Жена в истерике Нужна срочная помощь на дому Короче, единственное что вытащило из запоя — выведение из запоя на дому эффективно Через пару часов человек пришёл в себя В общем, телефон и цены тут — вывод из запоя доктор на дом https://kapelnicza.vyvod-iz-zapoya-na-domu-samara-def.ru Не ждите пока станет хуже Перешлите тем кто в такой же ситуации

Reply
Shawnvop August 2, 2026 - 6:34 am

Cheap generic Viagra online sildenafil over the counter Viagra Tablet price

Reply
HaroldSet August 2, 2026 - 6:37 am

Cheap generic Viagra: Med Men News – sildenafil over the counter

Reply

Leave a Comment