Our Galaxy
Type
Barred Spiral (SBbc)
Diameter
87,400 - 100,000 ly
Thickness (disk)
~2,000 ly
Stars
100-400 billion
Age
~13.6 billion years
Sun's distance from center
~26,000 ly
Sun's orbital period
~225-250 Myr
Central black hole
Sagittarius A* (~4M M☉)
Spiral Arms
Perseus Arm
Sagittarius Arm
Scutum-Centaurus Arm
Norma Arm
Orion-Cygnus Spur (our location)
Sun
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