The Milky Way Galaxy

When you step outside at night and take a look at the stars, all of the stars that you can see with the unaided eye are part of the Milky Way Galaxy. In this topic, you will explore the galaxy that you call home, and its important characteristics like size, shape, and history. In addition, you will also learn about the Great Debate, an influential debate between two astronomers over spiral galaxies and the size of the universe. The debate eventually led to Edwin Hubble proving one astronomer more accurate than the other.

Essential Questions

• What are the important characteristics of the Milky Way Galaxy?
• What was the Great Debate?