<P> The Milky Way is a barred spiral galaxy with a diameter between 150,000 and 200,000 light - years ( ly ) . It is estimated to contain 100 -- 400 billion stars . There are probably at least 100 billion planets in the Milky Way . The Solar System is located within the disk , 26,490 ( ± 100 ) light - years from the Galactic Center , on the inner edge of the Orion Arm , one of the spiral - shaped concentrations of gas and dust . The stars in the innermost 10,000 light - years form a bulge and one or more bars that radiate from the bulge . The galactic center is an intense radio source known as Sagittarius A * , likely a supermassive black hole of 4.100 ( ± 0.034 ) million solar masses . </P>
<P> The Milky Way is a barred spiral galaxy with a diameter between 150,000 and 200,000 light - years ( ly ) . It is estimated to contain 100 -- 400 billion stars . There are probably at least 100 billion planets in the Milky Way . The Solar System is located within the disk , 26,490 ( ± 100 ) light - years from the Galactic Center , on the inner edge of the Orion Arm , one of the spiral - shaped concentrations of gas and dust . The stars in the innermost 10,000 light - years form a bulge and one or more bars that radiate from the bulge . The galactic center is an intense radio source known as Sagittarius A * , likely a supermassive black hole of 4.100 ( ± 0.034 ) million solar masses . </P>
what are the dimensions of the milky way
what are the dimensions of the milky way
diameter between 150,000 and 200,000 light - years ( ly )
diameter between 150,000 and 200,000 light - years ( ly )