Determining the Milky Way’s size is challenging because we’re inside it. Estimates have varied greatly, from 100,000 to 1.9 million light years in diameter. Studying the Milky Way involves accounting for dark matter’s gravitational effects since it comprises most of the galaxy’s mass but remains invisible.
Related Posts
Space tourism’s growth blurs the line between scientific and symbolic achievement – a tourism scholar explains how
Blue Origin’s NS-31 flight lifted off on April 14, 2025. Justin Hamel/Getty Images Betsy Pudliner, University of Wisconsin-Stout…
Studying yeast DNA in space may help protect astronauts from cosmic radiation
The atmosphere protects life on Earth from the effects of the Sun’s radiation, but space travel is a…
Invisible “Monster” Black Hole Racing Through Space Leaves 200,000-Light-Year-Long Trail of Newborn Stars
NASA‘s Hubble Space Telescope has captured an unusual trail of newborn stars left by a supermassive black hole…
What If Dark Energy Is Changing? The Universe May Be Telling Us So
New data from DESI hints that dark energy may weaken over time, challenging the long-held assumption that it is constant across the universe.