The Milky Way Galaxy is an immense and very interesting place. Not only does it measure some 100,000โ120,000 light-years in diameter, itโs home to planet Earth, the birthplace of humanity.
Our Solar System resides roughly 27,000 light-years away from the Galactic Center. It lies at the inner edge of one of the spiral-shaped concentrations of gas and dust particles. This region is the Orion Arm.
The โMilky Wayโ can be seen as a hazy band of white light some 30 degrees wide arcing across the sky. All the individual naked-eye stars in the entire sky are part of the our galaxy. In fact, the light in this band originates from the accumulation of unresolved stars. Thatโs in addition to other material located in the direction of the galactic plane.
Additionally, as viewed from Earth, the visible region of the Milky Wayโs Galactic plane occupies an area of the sky that includes 30 constellations. In fact, the center of the Galaxy lies in the direction of the constellation Sagittarius; it is here that the Milky Way is brightest.
