The Milky Way Galaxy

The Milky Way, the galaxy, which is home to our solar system together with at least 200 billion other stars (more recent estimates have around 400 billion) and its planets, and thousands of clusters and nebulae, including at least almost all objects in the Messier catalogue the galaxies on their own (you could two globular clusters as possible exceptions, how likely they are straight, or have recently been built or are in our galaxy of dwarf galaxies that are currently in close encounters with the Milky Way: SagDEG of M54, M79 and possibly the Canis Major dwarf). See also our Messier objects in the Milky Way page, where details are given for each object, which is part of our galaxy is to do. All objects in the Milky Way orbit their common center of mass, the so-called Galactic Center.

As a galaxy, the Milky Way is actually a giant, as its mass is probably between 750 billion and one trillion solar masses, and its diameter about 100000 light years. Radio astronomial investigations on the distribution of hydrogen clouds have shown that the Milky Way is a spiral galaxy, Hubble-type Sb or Sc. It is our galaxy has a strong component with a hard spiral structure and a prominent nuclear reagion is part of a remarkable camber / Halo component. Decade-long observations have more and more evidence that the Milky Way can also be a bar structure (so it would be Type SB), so that it could be as M61 or M83, and is perhaps best described as SABbc. Recent studies have raised support for the assumption that the Milky Way may even have a central bar pronounced barred spiral galaxies like M58, M91, M95, M109, and thus the Hubble-type SBB or SBC.

The Milky Way belongs to the Local Group, a smaller group of 3 large and 30 small galaxies, and is the second largest (after the Andromeda galaxy M31), but perhaps the most massive member of this group. M31, at about 2.9 million light years, is the nearest big galaxy, but a series of weak galaxies are much closer: Many of the dwarf Local Group members are satellites or companions of the Milky Way. The two closest neighbours, both mentioned above, were only discovered recently: The nearest of all, discovered in 2003, is an almost disrupted dwarf galaxy, the Canis Major Dwarf, the core of the approximately 25000 light years away from us and about 45000 light years Years from the galactic center. Secondly, SagDEG at about 88000 light years from us and some 50000 light years from the galactic center. These two dwarfs are currently in close encounters with our galaxy and in sections of its orbit is also located within the volume ocupied by our Milky Way. They are far ahead of the more conspicuous Large and Small Magellanic Cloud, 179000 and 210000 light years, respectively.

The spiral arms of our Milky Way contain interstellar matter, diffuse fog, and young stars and open star clusters emerge from this affair. On the other hand, the bulge component consists of old stars and contains the globular cluster star clusters, our galaxy has probably over 200 globulars, of which we know about the 150th These globular clusters are highly concentrated in the direction of the galactic centre: From its apparent distribution in the sky, Harlow Shapley to the conclusion that this center of the Milky Way is a large gap (which he overestimated of factors) in the direction of Sagittarius rather close to us, as was previously thought.

Our solar system is within the outer regions of this galaxy, even within the hard disk and only about 20 light years "above" the level equatorial symmetry (in the direction of the galactic North Pole, see below), but about 28000 light years from the galactic center. Therefore, the Milky Way appears as a shining band of the whole sky along this symmetry plane, including the "galactic equator. Its center is located in the direction of the constellation Sagittarius, but very close to the border between the two neighbours constellations Scorpius and Ophiuchus. The distance of 28000 light years has recently (1997) have been confirmed by the data from the ESA satellite Hipparcos astrometric. Other studies published thus have denied this figure and a smaller value of about 25000 light years, based on stellar dynamics, a recent study (McNamara et.al 2000, based on RR Lyrae variables) results in about 26000 light years. These data, if relevant, would not immediately impact values for distances of certain objects in the Milky Way or beyond.

The solar system is situated in a small spiral arm, the so-called "local" or "Orion arm, the only link between the inner and outer next more massive weapons, the Sagittarius arm and the Perseus Arm, see our Milky Way spiral-Structure Side.

Similar to other galaxies, supernovae occur there in the Milky Way at irregular intervals of time. If they are not too strong obscurred by interstellar matter, they can, and have been as spectacular events from the earth. Unfortunately has not appeared since the invention of the telescope (the last good supernova was observed by Johannes Kepler in 1604).

Milky Way pictures are wide-angle field exposures. In addition to the attractive and often colorful, they are often suited to the Milky Way objects (including nebulae and star clusters) in their heavenly surroundings of the field stars. Some fields contain many Messier objects and thus also here:

* Milky Way central region including constellations Sagittarius, scorpion, snake makers and Scutum and map the Milky Way Central Region, by Bill Keel of the University of Alabama
* Milky Way in Sagittarius, including parts of the scorpion and snake-bearer
* Milky Way about M17, M18 and M24

Galaxies and Planets

It always to the point where planets are found everywhere. Fifty here, fifty, well maybe I'm exaggerating a bit, but there are a lot of planets. Now that we know that planets outside our own solar system, perhaps we should stop include those we find. Why do I say this? Our Milky Way is only one of billions, or even more. It contains over 100,000,000,000 stars. If only one star in three planets around them and can say that the average height of 4 planet, we are looking at a rear a lot of planets my friends. The planet is about 133,333,333,333 only in our own galaxy. If only one of the planet in 1000 has made life, we are looking 133,333,333,333 planet with life. If only 1 in 1000, this intelligent life, we are on 13,333 planets in our galaxy, the intelligent life. Now you know why we are looking for signals from planets with intelligent life, it is because the figures in favour of the opportunities that it there. Our world can not be that special that we are the only intelligent beings in the galaxy. It would be very closed-minded of us to believe. Even if the Bible as a literal interpretation of God's word, I do not think that there is something in it prohibits that life in other places other than the Earth. Maybe I will an argument, but that is what I believe.

The Andromeda galaxy is our neighbor galaxy. It is as M31. The M stands for Messier object. Charles Messier was a French astronomer who lived from 1730 to 1817. He met a list of objects that are difficult to say of comets. Of course, the telescopes were not as good as the one today, and today this is no problem. There are 110 of these objects. Andromeda galaxy is a greater than our own. It is quite near us in cosmic terms and is headed for a collision with the Milky Way. Do not worry, but it will take about 4 billion years before this happens. Even if it happens, there is not much chance to smash. The stars are simply too far apart. NASA describes it, picture two sand grains separated by a football pitch. That is approximately the distance of stars from each other in each galaxy. When the two galaxies do, they will be in each other at the speed of about 1000000 mph, Ouch! A few days of the Milky Way and the Andromeda galaxy. The main problem with the two galaxies passing to each other is the gas and dust that each. Recent findings indicate that the Andromeda galaxy contains more than one trillion stars, that is far more than the Milky Way, but here is the kicker, they have also noticed that the Milky Way is massive, dark matter by more days. Dark matter is the case, we can not see. It is estimated that 90% of the universe. In light of all this dark matter in our own galaxy, it would be interesting to see how these effects of the collision between two galaxies.

Forgetting the conflict for a second, the potential for planet in the Andromeda galaxy is still far greater than our own, because the number of stars in this galaxy. The scientists believe that the same physics is in fact in all the galaxies and in the entire universe. I wonder whether this could be a false assumption, even in small ways? For example, what if there is a planet where things did not work quite the same. For example, we are used to things falling down in a straight line. What if there is a planet, where there were similar gravity to our own, but for some unknown reason, things fell on the planet at an angle? With so many different planets and so many different compositions, things could be quite different than what we are used to be, even if they do not violate the laws of physics. Would it be possible to create a galaxy, not the planet or at least 5 or 6 planet for each star? These are extreme cases, but you can only do not exclude anything, when you speak of the unknown.

Our own galaxy, satellite galaxies revolve around it, like planets orbiting the sun. Two of these galaxies are small Magellanic Cloud and the Large Magellanic Cloud. The nearest galaxy to our own thoughts was the Large Magellanic Cloud, to 163000 light years away. In 1994, discovered that he was the Sagittarius dwarf galaxy was closer to only about 80000 light years. The Magellanic Cloud galaxy is like a blob of stars. There can be only in the southern hemisphere. This galaxy is disintegrating because we absorb them. The gradational tug of war between this galaxy and our own creates thousands of star clusters between the two. The third closest galaxy to us, at around 200000 light years, the Small Magellanic Cloud, a dwarf galaxy. Also this galaxy is absorbed by our galaxy. Gas is created by dying stars and star clusters are, how they are drawn away from the Small Magellanic Cloud. It is also a way of rubble, arising from these two galaxies in our own. This is another galaxy that only from the Southern Hemisphere. Thanks to these two galaxies, our own is increasing. Both of the Magellanic Cloud galaxies are considered primitive and not have so many heavy elements than our own galaxy. The chances planet, with life in the two Magellanic Cloud galaxies are much leaner than in our own or the Andromeda galaxy. Because there are a lot of very young stars in them, some are over the age of only twelve million years old. This does not have much time, if ever, for planetary research development.

Our Milky Way is about 90000 light years in diameter and has a size of about 270000 light years. It is characterized disk, which is about 2400 light-years thick. None of these figures are accurate and can be as much light as 50000 years ago, nobody knows. Our Milky Way is part of a group of galaxies, known as the local group. This group is itself part of the Virgo over. Other dwarf galaxies that orbit our Milky Way are Canis Major, contactors, Ursa Minor, sculptors, sextant, Fomax and Leo. Some are so small that they only 500 light years in diameter. These small galaxies would Carina, Draco and Leo II, all dwarfs. It is believed that more of these galaxies orbiting us that much less mass and therefore go undetected for the moment. It is the view that they could provide gas and dust. It is a ripple effect on the southern edge of our galaxy, and this is thought to be caused by the Magellanic Clouds Chen, as we orbit. The speed of the rapprochement of the Andromeda galaxy is about 100 to 140 kilometers per second. That is about 67 to 93 miles per second. No one is quite sure how quickly our galaxy travels. There have been estimates ranging form 100 km to 1000 km. per second. This is somewhere between 67 to 667 miles per second, and this could be wrong.

Some of the recently discovered planets outside our solar system include that was discovered orbiting a star, has been completely normal. The planet is about 5.5 times as large as the Earth. It is further away from its sun as we are of ours. The star it is orbiting 28000 light years away and is considered to be rocky planets. The star it is orbiting a red dwarf. That means it is about 50 times less powerful than our sun, but is the most common type of stars in the universe. Some large planet Earth have been found, but these were just dying orbiting neutron stars. A neutron star is a star, comes from a supernova explosion. It is very dense. They speak of a star is that only about 10 km (about 6.5 km) in radius, still has a mass about 1.5 times higher than that of our sun, has a radius of 695000 km (approx. 463333 km). It is assumed that all planets orbiting a sun, and this has had a dead world. Another planet has been found at a distance of about 20 light years. It is a rotating red sun, is about 1.5 times as large as our sun. The planet is as much as the Earth and its discovery in April 2007 by a team of European astronomers. There is evidence to suggest oceans. The diameter is 12000 miles and its mass is 5 times the Earth. Some scientists are already saying that these planets may be only the best chance for life so far. I believe that this statement is much too early. The planet is in the balance.

Have you ever wondered why we think that planets are usually huge? The answer is simple, it is hard to find planets, because their sun block their light. The bigger the planet the more light there is and the easier it is to find does not mean that planets can be found easily. Will we find a planet that has life? It seems that the universe has a surprise for us. It is surprising that there are many planets out there, and many are similar to our own world. There may be millions and billions of companies waiting for us, or we try to avoid whatever the case may be.