The Milky Way Galaxy

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The Milky Way Galaxy

• By Lauren Mullins

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Misc. Facts

• Galaxies are basically extremely large systems of
  stars and matter.
• Our Milky Way galaxy is thought to house over 200
  billion stars.

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Cont.

• The Milky Way is so large that only 3 other
  Galaxies can be seen from Earth by the naked eye.
  
• Our sun is a star in the Milky Way.
• It formed around 14 billion years ago.

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• All objects in the Milky Way orbit their common
  center of mass, or the Galactic Center.
• This compares to our Planets rotation around the
  sun.

• Much like other Galaxies, the Milky Way
  experiences Supernovaes at irregular times.

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A Spiral Galaxy

• Our galaxy has both a pronounced disk exhibiting
  a spiral structure, and a region which is part of
  a halo component.
• Stars, dust, and gas fan out from the center of
  the Galaxy in long spiraling arms.

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• The Galaxy has three major parts
• The thin layer of gas thats forming stars, along
  with young stars. This layer is consumed in dust
  that gives the Milky Way its reddish look.
• A long strip of older stars.
• A dark area of unknown matter surrounding the
  whole composition.

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Ideas

• Some scientists believe that the Milky Way has
  existed for all time and that all planets, stars,
  etc. were created in its Galactic Center.
• Others believe the center of the Milky Way is a
  black hole and will forever be unknown to
  exploration.