<P> The Milky Way is a barred spiral galaxy with a diameter between 100,000 and 180,000 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 , about 26,000 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 . </P>
<P> The Milky Way is a barred spiral galaxy with a diameter between 100,000 and 180,000 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 , about 26,000 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 . </P>
where are we on the milky way galaxy
where are we on the milky way galaxy
about 26,000 light - years from the Galactic Center , on the inner edge of the Orion Arm , one of the spiral - shaped concentrations of gas and dust
about 26,000 light - years from the Galactic Center , on the inner edge of the Orion Arm , one of the spiral - shaped concentrations of gas and dust