nsTeam1RO, nsTeam1RW, nsTeam1_talkRO, nsTeam1_talkRW
26,487
edits
Changes
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
Line 1:
Line 1: − +
no edit summary
[[File:MilkyWaySpitzer.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Image of the core of the Milky Way as taken by [[NASA|NASA's]] Spitzer Space Telescope's infrared camera.]]
[[File:MilkyWaySpitzer.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Image of the core of the Milky Way as taken by [[NASA|NASA's]] Spitzer Space Telescope's infrared camera.]]
'''The Milky Way''' is a [[galaxy]] of type SB (barred spiral galaxy) containing between 200 billion to 400 billion [[star|stars]], thousands of [[nebula|nebulae]] and clusters, and an innumerable amount of [[gas]] and [[dust]], that is the home of our [[Solar System]]. The Milky Way itself is some 100,000 light years in diameter, and some 250-300 thousand light years in circumference<ref>http://www.space.com/milkyway/</ref>. It is estimated that the [[mass]] of the Milky Way is around 1–2 × 10<sup>12</sup> solar masses, some 5 to 10 percent of which is interstellar dust and gases.<ref name="david">http://www.daviddarling.info/encyclopedia/G/Galaxy.html</ref>
'''The Milky Way''' is a [[galaxy]] of type SB (barred spiral galaxy) containing between 200 billion to 400 billion [[star|stars]], thousands of [[nebula|nebulae]] and clusters, and an innumerable amount of [[gas]] and [[dust]], that is the home of our [[Solar System]]. The Milky Way itself is some 100,000 light years in diameter, and some 250-300 thousand light years in circumference<ref>http://www.space.com/milkyway/</ref>, according to some scientists. It is estimated that the [[mass]] of the Milky Way is around 1–2 × 10<sup>12</sup> solar masses, some 5 to 10 percent of which is interstellar dust and gases.<ref name="david">http://www.daviddarling.info/encyclopedia/G/Galaxy.html</ref>
The [[English]] term for Milky Way (and Galaxy in general) has its origin in the [[Greek]] Γαλαξίας, or ''Galaxias'', which is from the word for milk, γάλα or ''gala''. According to [[Greek mythology]], the Milky Way is milk that was spilled when [[Hera]] was suckling [[Heracles]].
The [[English]] term for Milky Way (and Galaxy in general) has its origin in the [[Greek]] Γαλαξίας, or ''Galaxias'', which is from the word for milk, γάλα or ''gala''. According to [[Greek mythology]], the Milky Way is milk that was spilled when [[Hera]] was suckling [[Heracles]].