Radius of the Milky Way

The radius of the Milky Way galaxy is about 50,000 light-years. This means that if you travel at the speed of light, it would take you 50,000 years to reach the edge of the galaxy from its center. The Milky Way is a spiral galaxy, containing billions of stars, planets, and cosmic dust, all held together by gravity. Our Solar System is located about 27,000 light-years from the galactic center, positioned in one of the Milky Way's spiral arms. Understanding its size helps astronomers map our place in the universe.