MILKY WAY

BARRED SPIRAL · SBbc · SOLAR NEIGHBORHOOD · LOCAL GROUP

LIVE RENDER
Stellar Census
~250B
ESTIMATED STARS
100–400 billion total
~70% red dwarfs · ~3 M☉/yr formed
Spectral Composition
Central Bulge — Population II stars (K/G)
Spiral Arms — OB stars, teal disc gas
HII Regions — ionised hydrogen Hα 656nm
Dust Lanes — silicate & carbon absorption
Diffuse — OIII 501nm, outer disc haze
Physical Scale
105 kly
DIAMETER
13.6 Gyr
AGE
1.5T M☉
MASS
Dark matter halo ~650 kly · Disk thickness ~1–3.5 kly
Major Arms
Scutum-C.
Major
Perseus
Major
Sagittarius
Major
Norma
Major
Orion Spur
☉
ROTATION: 225–250 MYR
VELOCITY: 828 KM/S vs CMB
Sgr A*: 4.1×10⁶ M☉
SCROLL = SPEED