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[[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>. 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>
==Structure of the Milky Way==
==Structure of the Milky Way==
[[File:MilkyWay1.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Map of the structure of the Milky Way galaxy.]]
The Milky Way galaxy is roughly divided into three sections: The '''galaxy core''' or bulge containing the Galactic Center, the '''disk''', which contains the majority of stars and material of the galaxy and is further divided into spiral arms, and the '''halo''', a diffuse, roughly spherical region of stars around the rest of the galaxy, consisting of mainly old stars.
The Milky Way galaxy is roughly divided into three sections: The '''galaxy core''' or bulge containing the Galactic Center, the '''disk''', which contains the majority of stars and material of the galaxy and is further divided into spiral arms, and the '''halo''', a diffuse, roughly spherical region of stars around the rest of the galaxy, consisting of mainly old stars.