Milky Way: A Few Interesting Facts About Our Galaxy

Hello! I want to show you some mind-blowing facts about the Milky Way. Space fascinates me and I feel Steemit is perfect place to share it with you.

(Stevie Brunier - The Milky Way at 5000 Meters)

1. We aren’t alone!

The Milky Way contains over 100 billion planets. Except them there are at least 200 billion stars. Basing on NASA data, astronomers calculated that in our galaxy can exist over 9 billion Earth-like planets.

2. “Around and Around”

As a human living on the Earth, you are also in our solar system, which is revolving around the galaxy’s centre at approximately 827 000 kph (514 000 mph) even though you’re sitting right in front of your computer not moving at all.

(NASA/JPL-Caltech/ESO/R. Hurt - http://www.eso.org/public/images/eso1339e/)

3. Our galaxy is huge

Our galaxy’s stellar disk has about 100 000 ly in diameter and is 1000 ly thick. If you could travel at speed of light it would take over 100000 years to cross whole Milky Way galaxy.

4. There are no real Milky Way’s photos

Because of our solar system’s position in the galaxy it’s impossible to take photos of Milky Way’s overhead view. All pictures you saw are probably visualizations or other galaxies’ photos (some of them look very similar to our galaxy).

5. We see nothing

Human eye on clear night sky can only see about 5000 stars. Compare this to the number of stars in Milky Way and you will get that we can see approximately 0.000000025% of all stars, which our galaxy contains.

(NASA - Andromeda Collides Milky Way)

6. We know the future

It’s believed that in about 4 billion years will occur galactic collision between Milky Way and Andromeda. Whole event will last a few billion years. As a result some stars from both of galaxies will be ejected and they will form new galaxy called Milkomeda.

7. The Old One

The Milky Way galaxy is one of the oldest galaxies in the space. According to scientists our galaxy was formed about 13.6 billion years ago.