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How many stars in the sky are actually galaxies?
Stars are not scattered randomly through space, they are gathered together into vast groups known as galaxies. The Sun belongs to a galaxy called the Milky Way. Astronomers estimate there are about 100 thousand million stars in the Milky Way alone. Outside that, there are millions upon millions of other galaxies also!
Are the stars we see in different galaxies?
Every star you’ve ever seen with your own eyes is inside the Milky Way Galaxy. We can’t see individual stars in other galaxies. (And the only galaxy beyond our own that’s visible to the naked eye from the Northern Hemisphere is Andromeda — and you would need very dark skies and a map to find it.)
Can we see stars not in galaxy?
The answer is no – unless you count seeing the combined light of many billions of stars. From the Northern Hemisphere, the only galaxy outside our Milky Way that’s easily visible to the eye is the great galaxy in the constellation Andromeda, also known as M31. This is the edgewise view into our own Milky Way galaxy.
Which star are actually a galaxy?
Our Sun
Our Sun (a star) and all the planets around it are part of a galaxy known as the Milky Way Galaxy. A galaxy is a large group of stars, gas, and dust bound together by gravity. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes. The Milky Way is a large barred spiral galaxy.
How long does it take for the light of a star to reach Earth?
Other Galaxies
| Object | Time for the Light to Reach Us |
|---|---|
| Alpha Centauri (nearest star system) | 4.3 years |
| Sirius (brightest star in our sky) | 9 years |
| Betelgeuse (bright star) | 430 years |
| Orion Nebula | 1500 years |
Is Andromeda coming to us?
The Andromeda Galaxy (M31) is indeed approaching us, by about 300 kilometers (190 miles) per second measured with respect to the Sun. The two galaxies will merge a few billion years from now. This is normal. Neighboring galaxies are bound into clusters by their mutual gravitational attraction.