A Picture of the Milky Way Galaxy

Milky Way Galaxy Facts

  • Name: Milky Way Galaxy
  • Type of Galaxy: Spiral Galaxy
  • Estimated Size: Between 150 and 200 light-years (diameter)
  • Estimated Stars: Between 100 and 400 billion stars
  • Distance to Galactic Center: ± 26.4 kilolight-years
  • Location of Earth: In the Orion Arm
  • Satellite Galaxies: 59

13 Milky Way Galaxy Facts for Kids

  1. Milky Way is a spiral galaxy in our universe.
  2. The Milky Way Galaxy has an estimated diameter between 150 and 200 light-years.
  3. The Milky Way is the galaxy that contains our Solar System, the home of our planet Earth.
  4. The Milky Way Galaxy is estimated to have a diameter between 150 and 200 light-years.
  5. Our planet Earth is estimated to be 26.4 kilolight-years from the Milky Way's galactic center.
  6. Astronomers estimate our Milky Way Galaxy has between 100 and 400 billion stars.
  7. Astronomers estimate our Milky Way galaxy has at least 100 billion planets.
  8. Astronomers estimate the mass of the Milky Way to be 1.5 trillion solar masses.
  9. The center of the Milky Way Galaxy contains a supermassive black hole.
  10. The Milky Way Galaxy is a member of the Local Group. The Local Group is a member of the Virgo Supercluster.
  11. The Milky Way Galaxy is the only known galaxy to have a planet where life has evolved.
  12. The Milky Way Galaxy and Andromeda Galaxy will collide with each other in about 4.5 billion years and form a new elliptical or lenticular galaxy.
  13. Prior to the 1920s, astronomers thought the Milky Way Galaxy contained all the stars in our universe.

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Additional Resources with Milky Way Galaxy Facts