▁confused ▁with ▁galax y ▁formation ▁and ▁evolution , ▁which ▁is ▁the ▁general ▁study ▁of ▁galaxies , ▁their ▁formation , ▁structure , ▁components , ▁dynamics , ▁interactions , ▁and ▁the ▁range ▁of ▁forms ▁they ▁take . ▁ ▁The ▁Mil ky ▁Way ▁galax y , ▁where ▁the ▁Sol ar ▁System ▁belongs , ▁is ▁in ▁many ▁ways ▁the ▁best ▁studied ▁galax y , ▁although ▁important ▁parts ▁of ▁it ▁are ▁obsc ured ▁from ▁view ▁in ▁visible ▁w avel ength s ▁by ▁regions ▁of ▁cos mic ▁dust . ▁The ▁development ▁of ▁radio ▁astronom y , ▁inf ra red ▁astronom y ▁and ▁subm ill imet re ▁astronom y ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 th ▁Century ▁allowed ▁the ▁gas ▁and ▁dust ▁of ▁the ▁Mil ky ▁Way ▁to ▁be ▁mapped ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁time . ▁ ▁Sub categories ▁ ▁A ▁standard ▁set ▁of ▁sub categories ▁is ▁used ▁by ▁astronom ical ▁journ als ▁to ▁split ▁up ▁the ▁subject ▁of ▁Gal actic ▁Astronom y : ▁ ▁abund ances ▁– ▁the ▁study ▁of ▁the ▁location ▁of ▁elements ▁heav ier ▁than ▁hel ium ▁ ▁bul ge ▁– ▁the ▁study ▁of ▁the ▁bul ge ▁around ▁the ▁center ▁of ▁the ▁Mil ky ▁Way ▁ ▁center ▁– ▁the ▁study ▁of ▁the ▁central ▁region ▁of ▁the ▁Mil ky ▁Way ▁ ▁disk ▁– ▁the ▁study ▁of ▁the ▁Mil ky ▁Way ▁disk ▁( the ▁plane ▁upon ▁which ▁most ▁gal actic ▁objects ▁are ▁aligned ) ▁ ▁evolution ▁– ▁the ▁evolution ▁of ▁the ▁Mil ky ▁Way ▁ ▁formation ▁– ▁the ▁formation ▁of ▁the ▁Mil ky ▁Way ▁ ▁fundamental ▁parameters ▁– ▁the ▁fundamental ▁parameters