-->

• The Milky Way is the name given to the galaxy in which our solar system resides. It is one of an estimated 125 to 500 billion galaxies in the known universe.Goddard Spaceflight Center: Ask an Astrophysicist

• Fast Facts

  1. Is a spiral galaxyAtlas of the universe: The Milky Way Galaxy
  2. 100,000 light years wide
  3. Looks like a milky band across the night sky when viewed with the naked eye
  4. Massive black hole at its centerChandra X-Ray Observatory: Milky Way’s Giant Black Hole Awoke from Slumber 300 Years Ago (April 16, 2008)Times Online: Astronomers confirm black hole at the heart of the Milky Way (December 9, 2008)
  5. Black hole is called Sagittarius A* (A-star)Times Online: Astronomers confirm black hole at the heart of the Milky Way (December 9, 2008)
  6. Part of the Local Group, a small neighborhood of about 3 dozen galaxies clustered togetherChandra X-Ray Observatory: Milky Way images
  7. Closest galactic neighbor (2003): Canis Major Dwarf GalaxySpace.com: Closest Known Galaxy Just Discovered (November 4, 2003)

• Galactic Cannibalism

  Due to the Milky Way's gravity, it attracts other local galaxies to it. Therefore, nearby galaxies will eventually collide with the Milky Way, making one larger galaxy and destroying some stars in the process. The process is known as galactic cannibalism and will not happen to the Milky Way for another 3 billion years.Space.com: Galactic cannibalism

• Related Mahalo Pages

  Stars | Hubble Space Telescope | Constellations | Asteroids | Comets | Jupiter | Mars | Mercury | Neptune | Pluto | Saturn | The Moon | Uranus | Venus | Voyager | Telescopes | Death Star Galaxy

Categories

• View History
• Discuss on the Message Board
• Embed this Page
• Share this page