The Milky Way for Children, Galaxies and Space: Astronomy for Kids - FreeSchool
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The Milky Way is a vast galaxy containing billions of stars and planets, forming part of a local group within the observed universe. Its structure, including a central bulge, disk, and halo, has been theorized and confirmed through historical observations by figures like Galileo Galilei.
Insights
- The Milky Way is a vast galaxy containing over 200 billion stars and 100 billion planets, stretching across at least 100,000 light-years in the sky.
- Scientists estimate that the Milky Way is part of a local group of galaxies spanning at least 10 million light years, with the observable universe encompassing a staggering 170 billion galaxies, showcasing the immense scale and diversity of cosmic structures.
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Recent questions
What is the Milky Way?
A galaxy with stars, gas, dust, and planets.
How big is the Milky Way?
Spans at least 100,000 light-years.
What is the shape of the Milky Way?
A spiral galaxy.
How many galaxies are in the observable universe?
At least 170 billion galaxies.
Who confirmed the composition of the Milky Way?
Galileo Galilei.
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Summary
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Vast Galaxy: Milky Way and Beyond
- The Milky Way is a cloudy white stripe of light in the sky, part of a galaxy that includes stars, gas, dust, and other material, held together by gravity. It spans at least 100,000 light-years, with over 200 billion stars and 100 billion planets.
- The Milky Way is part of a local group of galaxies, estimated to be at least 10 million light years across, with scientists suggesting there are at least 170 billion galaxies in the observable universe. Galaxies vary in size and shape, with the Milky Way being a spiral galaxy.
- The Milky Way consists of a bulge at the center, a disk filled with young stars and spiral arms, and a halo of old stars and clusters. Ancient Greek philosophers first theorized its composition, later confirmed by Galileo Galilei's observations through a telescope.
