Back to Glossary

Milky Way

The galaxy that contains our Solar System, characterized by its barred spiral structure with multiple spiral arms extending from a central bar.

Source: esa.int

APODs including "Milky Way"

Three Galaxies over New Zealand

11/06/2014

Three Galaxies over New Zealand
Image Credit: Mike Mackinven / NASA APOD

No, radio dishes cannot broadcast galaxies. Although they can detect them, the above image features a photogenic superposition during a dark night in New Zealand about two weeks ago. As pictured above, the central part of our Milky Way Galaxy is seen rising to the east on the image left and arching high overhead. Beneath the Galactic arc and just above the horizon are the two brightest satellite galaxies of our Milky Way, with the Small Magellanic Cloud to the left and the Large Magellanic Cloud on the right. The radio dish is the Warkworth Satellite Station located just north of Auckland.