Post by glactus on Sept 22, 2011 0:44:16 GMT
The Milky Way is a barred spiral galaxy 100,000 light years in diameter containing 200–400 billion stars. Depending on its structure the entire galaxy has a rotational rate of 1 per 15 to 50 million years. The galaxy is also moving at a rate of 552 to 630 km per second ( 391,463 mph)depending on the relative frame of reference. It is estimated to be about 13.2 billion years old, nearly as old as the Universe. The Milky Way is part of the Local Group of galaxies in the Virgo supercluster.
The Milky Way Galaxy
Showing the arms near our star
The Milky Way is the name given in Western cultures to the galaxy that contains the Solar System. This name derives from its appearance as a dim un-resolved "milky" glowing band arching across the night sky. The term "Milky Way" is a translation of the Latin for "milky road", Via Lactea, in turn derived from the Greek kyklos galaktikos or "milky circle", "milk" also being the root for the Greek word for Galaxy, Ãáëáîßáò (Galaxias) In Eastern (Asian) cultures, this band of light is referred to as the Silver Stream, again owing to its appearance.
The Milky Way Barred spiral
It has this appearance because of the earth's position within the galactic plane around two thirds of the way out from the center, on the inner edge of the Orion–Cygnus Arm, with the majority of the galaxy being seen edge on. The concept of this faint band of light being made up of stars was proven in 1610 when Galileo Galilei used his telescope to resolve it into individual stars. In the 1920s observations by astronomer Edwin Hubble showed that the Milky Way was just one of around 200 billion galaxies in the observable universe.
The Milky Way and Andromeda colliding
In a few billion years both the Galaxies Andromeda and the Milky Way will merge to become one monster Galaxy in the depth of space and time.
Credits: These are non copywrite images
Text by Wikipedia
The Milky Way Galaxy
Showing the arms near our star
The Milky Way is the name given in Western cultures to the galaxy that contains the Solar System. This name derives from its appearance as a dim un-resolved "milky" glowing band arching across the night sky. The term "Milky Way" is a translation of the Latin for "milky road", Via Lactea, in turn derived from the Greek kyklos galaktikos or "milky circle", "milk" also being the root for the Greek word for Galaxy, Ãáëáîßáò (Galaxias) In Eastern (Asian) cultures, this band of light is referred to as the Silver Stream, again owing to its appearance.
The Milky Way Barred spiral
It has this appearance because of the earth's position within the galactic plane around two thirds of the way out from the center, on the inner edge of the Orion–Cygnus Arm, with the majority of the galaxy being seen edge on. The concept of this faint band of light being made up of stars was proven in 1610 when Galileo Galilei used his telescope to resolve it into individual stars. In the 1920s observations by astronomer Edwin Hubble showed that the Milky Way was just one of around 200 billion galaxies in the observable universe.
The Milky Way and Andromeda colliding
In a few billion years both the Galaxies Andromeda and the Milky Way will merge to become one monster Galaxy in the depth of space and time.
Credits: These are non copywrite images
Text by Wikipedia