6 Random Facts about the Milky Way Galaxy


The Milky Way Galaxy

Most of us know that we live in a galaxy known as the Milky Way. However, not many of us really know very much about our own galaxy. Here are 6 interesting and random facts about the Milky Way Galaxy that will help expand your knowledge about it.

  • Any stars that you can see in the night sky without the aid of a telescope are part of the Milky Way.
  •  

  • It is estimated that the Milky Way contains between 200 and 400 billion stars.
  •  

  • Our solar system makes up an extremely tiny part of the Milky Way – if you imagine our solar system were the size of a US quarter, the entire Milky Way would be almost half the size of the United States!
  •  

  • Edwin Hubble is credited as conclusively defining the shape and scope of our galaxy through the use of telescopes.
  •  

  • The size of the Milky Way is approximately 100,000 light-years in diameter.
  •  

  • The mass of our galaxy is estimated at 5.8 × 1011 solar masses. A solar mass is a unit of mass equivalent to the mass of our Sun.
  •  

Share This Article!



93 Responses to “6 Random Facts about the Milky Way Galaxy”

Leave a Comment