Is galaxy a scientific term?

A galaxy is a gravitationally bound system of stars, stellar remnants, interstellar gas, dust, and dark matter. The word is derived from the Greek galaxias (γαλαξίας), literally “milky”, a reference to the Milky Way.

Is there a scientific name for the Milky Way?

The Milky Way is the galaxy that contains our Solar System. The term “Milky Way” is a translation of the Latin via lactea, from the Greek γαλαξίας κύκλος (galaxías kýklos, “milky circle”). From Earth, the Milky Way appears as a band because its disk-shaped structure is viewed from within.

What is galaxy in science terms?

A galaxy is a huge collection of gas, dust, and billions of stars and their solar systems. A galaxy is held together by gravity. Our galaxy, the Milky Way, also has a supermassive black hole in the middle. Some scientists think there could be as many as one hundred billion galaxies in the universe.

How many galaxies are named?

There are about 51 galaxies in the Local Group (see list of nearest galaxies for a complete list), on the order of 100,000 in our Local Supercluster, and an estimated 100 billion in all of the observable universe….Naked-eye galaxies.

What is the name of our nearest galaxy?

Distance Information The closest known galaxy to us is the Canis Major Dwarf Galaxy, at 236,000,000,000,000,000 km (25,000 light years) from the Sun. The Sagittarius Dwarf Elliptical Galaxy is the next closest , at 662,000,000,000,000,000 km (70,000 light years) from the Sun.

What is the Indian name of Milky Way?

The Sanskrit name “Ganges of the Sky” (आकाशगंगा Ākāśagaṃgā) is used in many Indian languages following a Hindu myth.

What is galaxy Short answer?

The Short Answer: A galaxy is a huge collection of gas, dust, and billions of stars and their solar systems, all held together by gravity. It’s a small part of the Milky Way Galaxy. A galaxy is a huge collection of gas, dust, and billions of stars and their solar systems. A galaxy is held together by gravity.

What is our universe name?

Milky Way
The term “Milky Way”, a term which emerged in Classical Antiquity to describe the band of light in the night sky, has since gone on to become the name for our galaxy. Like many others in the known Universe, the Milky Way is a barred, spiral galaxy that is part of the Local Group – a collection of 54 galaxies.

What is our nearest galaxy?

galaxy Andromeda
The nearest galaxies to us are the two irregular galaxies called the Large Magellanic Cloud and the Small Magellanic Cloud. The nearest large galaxy is the spiral galaxy Andromeda.

How many planets does Andromeda have?

A star in the Andromeda galaxy has a “companion” with six times the mass of Jupiter. There’s no end to the ingenuity of these astronomers. We’ve now spotted some 300 extra-solar planets, with rate of discovery increasing at an extraordinary rate.

Who is the god of the Milky Way?

In Egyptian mythology, the Milky Way was considered a pool of cow’s milk. It was deified as a fertility cow-goddess by the name of Bat (later on syncretized with the goddess Hathor).

What are some facts about our galaxy?

Some of the facts about our galaxy are: Fact 1: The Milky Way galaxy is a barred, spiral galaxy. The diameter varies between 100,000-120,000 light years. Fact 2: About 90% of our galaxy’s mass is comprised of a halo of dark matter which is not visible directly.

Which galaxy is the nearest to our galaxy?

Although several dozen minor galaxies lie closer to our Milky Way, the Andromeda galaxy is the closest large spiral galaxy to ours. Excluding the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds, which can’t be seen from northerly latitudes, the Andromeda galaxy – also known as M31 – is the brightest galaxy you can see.

What is the name of the farthest star in our galaxy?

Icarus, whose official name is MACS J1149+2223 Lensed Star 1, is the farthest individual star ever seen. It is only visible because it is being magnified by the gravity of a massive galaxy cluster,…

Which galaxies are nearest to the Earth?

Canis Major Dwarf Galaxy. Canis Major is a discussed predominate unpredictable and one of the closest cosmic systems to planet earth.