The Milky Way Galaxy, as a product of approximately 13.6 billion years of evolution, is a stellar system distinguished by its dynamic structure, rich components, and cosmic environment. Its spiral structure, bar feature, spiral arms, supermassive black hole at the galactic center, surrounding spherical halo, and interactions with dwarf galaxies make it a highly complex type of galaxy.

^{The Milky Way Galaxy}⁽^NASA⁾

Galaxies form the fundamental building blocks of the universe. In this context, the Milky Way Galaxy holds a special place for humanity, as it is the galaxy that hosts the Earth and the Solar System.

Modern observational astronomy and theoretical astrophysics offer significant insights into the structure and evolution of the Milky Way. However, this information is often obtained not through direct observation, but through indirect inferences.

Despite observational limitations, our knowledge of the galaxy continues to increase thanks to modern telescopes such as Gaia, Hubble, Chandra, Spitzer, and James Webb.

Fundamental Characteristics of the Milky Way

Galaxy Type: Barred Spiral (SBbc)
Diameter: ~100,000–200,000 Light-Years
Thickness: ~10,000 Light-Years at the Center / ~300 Light-Years in the Outer Disk
Number of Stars: 200 – 400 Billion
Total Mass: ~1.5 Trillion Solar Masses
Age: ~13.6 Billion Years
Galactic Year (Sun): ~225 – 250 Million Years

^{The Milky Way Galaxy (AI-generated)}

Morphological Structure

Galactic Disk

The disk component of the Milky Way consists of stars, gas, and dust. This disk includes young stars, interstellar gases, and star-forming regions. Due to the heavy interstellar dust, optical observations are limited. Infrared observations have played a crucial role in revealing the details of this structure.

Spiral Arms

Spiral arms are significant structures of the galactic disk. Observations suggest that the Milky Way has four major spiral arms:

Perseus Arm
Scutum-Centaurus Arm
Sagittarius Arm
Norma Arm

^{The Arms of the Milky Way Galaxy (AI-generated)}

The Solar System is located within a smaller structure between these arms, known as the Orion Spur. Spiral arms are rich in star-forming regions, and hot, young OB-type stars are common along these arms.

Galactic Bar

At the center of the Milky Way lies a bar-shaped structure approximately 27,000 light-years long. This feature is one of the key factors that determines the dynamics of the galaxy. The bar structure regulates the flow of matter in the galactic disk, triggering star formation.

Galactic Center and Sagittarius A*

At the core of the galaxy lies a radio source called Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*), a supermassive black hole with a mass of approximately 4 million solar masses. The presence of this black hole has been confirmed indirectly through the orbital movements of surrounding stars. The center also contains a dense stellar population, hot gases, and molecular clouds.

Galactic Halo and Dark Matter

Halo

Beyond the stellar disk, the Milky Way is surrounded by a spherical halo, which contains:

Globular Clusters
Old Stars
Tidal Streams from Dwarf Galaxies

The chemical composition of the halo is characterized by Population II stars with low metallicity.

Dark Matter

The majority of the galaxy's total mass consists of an invisible component known as dark matter. The presence of dark matter is supported particularly by anomalies in the galaxy's rotation curves. Observations reveal that stars in the outer regions of the galaxy rotate faster than would be expected under Newtonian mechanics.

Stellar Populations and Chemical Evolution

The Milky Way consists of stellar populations with varying ages and metallicities. Generally, three main populations are defined:

Population I: Young, metal-rich stars (concentrated in the disk)
Population II: Old, metal-poor stars (in the halo and core)
Population III (Theoretical): The first stars after the Big Bang (not yet directly observed)

Galactic chemical evolution is shaped by supernova explosions, stellar winds, and galaxy mergers.

Astronomical Observations and Missions

The structural and dynamic features of the Milky Way are studied through a wide range of telescopes and space missions:

Gaia (ESA): Maps the positions, brightness, and motions of billions of stars
Hubble Space Telescope: High-resolution optical and UV images
Spitzer & JWST: Infrared observations of star-forming regions
Chandra: X-ray observations of supernova remnants and black holes

Intergalactic Interactions

The Milky Way is part of a galactic cluster known as the Local Group. The largest members of this group are the Milky Way and the Andromeda Galaxy. It is predicted that these two galaxies will collide and merge in about 4 billion years. This merger will most likely result in the formation of a new elliptical galaxy.

The Milky Way also interacts with many dwarf galaxies:

Sagittarius Dwarf Elliptical Galaxy
Large and Small Magellanic Clouds

These galaxies contribute mass and matter flow to the Milky Way.

Galactic Evolution and Archaeology

The formation of the Milky Way dates back to early periods on the cosmological timeline. The stellar streams observed today in the halo and outer regions of the galaxy bear traces of past merger events. Galactic archaeology aims to trace this evolutionary process backward by examining the chemical compositions and orbits of stars.

The Milky Way Galaxy holds great significance in astronomy both observationally and theoretically. With advanced observational technologies, more knowledge is being gained every day.

The galaxy’s structural properties, dynamics, and components allow cosmological models to be tested by comparison with other galaxies. Especially with the data provided by the Gaia mission, deeper understandings of our galaxy will be obtained in the coming decades.

Milky Way Galaxy