The Milky Way
The Milky Way is the galaxy containing Earth's solar system, a barred spiral galaxy containing an estimated 100 to 400 billion stars, of which our Sun is just one.
Containing hundreds of billions of stars of which our own Sun is just one relatively ordinary example, this vast spiral galaxy represents humanity's entire cosmic home and neighborhood.
Home to Our Solar System
The Milky Way is the barred spiral galaxy containing Earth's solar system, along with an estimated 100 to 400 billion other stars.
A Barred Spiral Structure
The Milky Way has a barred spiral structure, featuring a central bar-shaped region surrounded by spiral arms extending outward.
A Supermassive Black Hole at Its Center
The Milky Way's center contains Sagittarius A*, a supermassive black hole with mass millions of times greater than our Sun.
An Ongoing Collision Course
The Milky Way is on a collision course with the neighboring Andromeda Galaxy, projected to merge in several billion years, long after Earth's Sun is expected to change significantly.
