7 Astounding Facts About Galaxy!

Mautushi Paul |

Child Learning |

2023-09-05 |

null mins read

Introduction
7 Facts About Galaxies
Parenting Tips for Introducing Kids to Galaxies
Conclusion

Introduction

Parents, are you curious about galaxies? Here are seven amazing facts about them that will get you excited! The galaxy comes in all shapes and sizes, and some contain billions of stars. They are constantly changing, growing and evolving. Some scientists believe that there may be billions of galaxies in the universe! So if you’re looking for an out-of-this-world topic to fascinate your kids with, look no further than galaxies!

7 Facts About Galaxies

Following are few facts about galaxies

1. Galaxies come in all shapes and sizes

There are so many different types of galaxies! Spiral, elliptical, barred spiral, irregular galaxies…the list goes on. And each type of galaxy has a different shape. For example, spiral galaxies are usually long and thin with spiralling arms, while elliptical galaxies are more round or oval-shaped.

2. Galaxies are huge!

The Milky Way, the galaxy that Earth is a part of, is 100,000 light-years across. That means if you travelled at the speed of light, it would take you 100,000 years to cross the Milky Way! And our galaxy is on the small side compared to some other galaxies out there. The largest known galaxy is IC 1101, about 6 million light-years across. That’s big enough to fit over one million Milky Way galaxies inside of it!

3. Galaxies contain billions of stars

The average galaxy contains anywhere from a few hundred billion to a trillion stars. That’s a lot of stars! And each star in a galaxy has its own planetary system. That means that there are billions and billions of planets out there in the universe.

4. Galaxies are held together by gravity

The force of gravity is what keeps a galaxy together. Without gravity, the stars in a galaxy would fly off into space. Gravity is also what keeps the planets in orbit around their stars.

5. Galaxies can collide

When two galaxies collide, it’s a really big event! These collisions can cause all kinds of interesting things to happen, like the formation of new stars.

6. Different types of galaxies

There are three main types of galaxy: spiral, elliptical, and irregular. Like our Milky Way galaxy, Spiral galaxies have arms that wind around a central bulge. Elliptical galaxies are shaped like footballs, and irregular galaxy don’t have any particular shape.

Parenting Tips for Introducing Kids to Galaxies

1. Start with the basics

Explain what a galaxy is in simple terms that your kids can understand. You can even show them pictures to help them visualise it.

2. Talk about our place in the universe

Our galaxy, the Milky Way, is just one of the billions of galaxies in the universe. This can be mind-boggling for kids (and adults!), so help them understand by providing context. For example, you can explain that the Milky Way is 100,000 light-years across and that our Solar System is just a tiny speck within it.

3. Share interesting facts about the galaxy

Did you know that there are three main types of the galaxy? Like the Milky Way, Spiral galaxies have arms that curl around a central bulge. Elliptical galaxy are shaped like oval balls, and irregular galaxies don’t fit into either category. You can also tell your kids that our galaxy is thought to be about 13.6 billion years old and that it’s constantly moving and changing.

4. Different components of a galaxy

The stars, dust, and gas that make up a galaxy are held together by gravity. The centre of a spiral galaxy contains a supermassive black hole. This is an area of space where gravity is so strong that not even light can escape it. Black holes are fascinating objects, and you can read more about them here.

5. Skygaze with your friends

One of the best ways to learn about galaxy is to go outside and look at them yourself! If you live in a city, you might not be able to see much more than the Milky Way, but it’s still an amazing sight. If you have a telescope, you can get an even better view of the galaxy. You can also find out when there will be meteor showers in your area so you can go outside and watch the shooting stars. There are also lots of great apps and websites that can help you learn about the night sky.

6. Go to a planetarium

If you can’t see the stars where you live, or if you want to learn more about them, you should visit a planetarium. At a planetarium, you can see shows about the night sky and learn all about the different constellations. You might even see some of the galaxy through the planetarium’s telescope.

7. Read about the stars

If you want to learn more about the stars, you can read books or articles about them. If you have a telescope, you can get a star map to help you find different constellations in the night sky. You can also find out when there will be meteor showers in your area so you can go outside and watch the shooting stars.

8. Look up at the stars

One of the best ways to learn about the stars is to go outside and look up at them simply. See if you can find any of the constellations in the night sky. If you’re lucky, you might even see a shooting star. You don’t need a telescope to see the stars—just your eyes.

Conclusion

The cosmo is vast and mysterious places containing billions of stars and untold secrets. They continue to captivate us with their beauty and power as we learn more about them. Here are seven amazing facts about the galaxy that will leave you awestruck. We hope they also make you appreciate the universe a little more – and remind you of how small we really are in comparison! Are there any other fascinating facts about galaxies that you know? Let us know in the comments below.