Voie lactée
La Voie lactée est la galaxie dans laquelle se trouve le Système solaire.
The Milky Way is the galaxy that contains the Solar System. It is a barred spiral galaxy, visible from Earth as a whitish luminous band in the night sky. With a diameter of about 100,000 light-years, it contains an estimated 100 to 400 billion stars, along with interstellar gas and dust.
Characteristics
The Milky Way is a barred spiral galaxy approximately 100,000 light-years in diameter. It contains a very large number of stars, as well as interstellar gas and dust.
Position of the Solar System
The Solar System is located in one of the spiral arms of the Milky Way, at a great distance from the galactic center. The Sun and its planets orbit around the center of the galaxy.
Observation from Earth
To the naked eye, the Milky Way appears as a whitish luminous trail crossing the night sky. This appearance comes from the collective light of countless distant stars.
Galactic Center
The center of the Milky Way is heavily obscured by gas and dust. Astronomical observations indicate that it harbors a supermassive black hole named Sagittarius A*.
Key facts
- The Milky Way is a barred spiral galaxy containing the Solar System.
- It has a diameter of approximately 100,000 light-years.
- It contains hundreds of billions of stars, along with gas and dust.
- Viewed from Earth, it appears as a whitish band across the night sky.
- The galactic center harbors a supermassive black hole, Sagittarius A*.
La Voie lactée est pertinente pour les lecteurs canadiens comme cadre astronomique de base : elle est visible depuis le Canada dans des ciels sombres et fait partie des sujets étudiés en astronomie scolaire et universitaire au Canada.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Milky Way?
Why is it called the 'Milky Way'?
What type of galaxy is the Milky Way?
What is its size?
How many stars does it contain?
Where is the Sun located in the Milky Way?
References
- ESA — https://www.esa.int/kids/fr/Apprendre/Notre_Univers/Les_etoiles_et_les_galaxies/La_Voie_LacteeSupports: Type de galaxie, appartenance du Soleil, taille approximative, gaz et poussière, Groupe local.
- CNES — https://cnes.fr/dossiers/galaxiesSupports: Voie lactée comme galaxie spirale, diamètre approximatif, position du Soleil, trou noir supermassif central.
- Futura Sciences — https://www.futura-sciences.com/sciences/definitions/univers-voie-lactee-3729/Supports: Nom de notre galaxie, forme spirale, diamètre et ordre de grandeur du nombre d’étoiles.
- Observatoire de Paris — https://media4.obspm.fr/public/ressources_lu/pages_visite-galaxie/la-voie-lactee.htmlSupports: Aspect visible dans le ciel, composition en étoiles, gaz et poussière.