Galaxies come in several shapes and forms, including spiral galaxies which make up 60% of galaxies and have spiral arms radiating from a central bulge, barred spiral galaxies which have a bar through the center, and elliptical galaxies which are elliptically shaped. Our galaxy, the Milky Way, is a barred spiral galaxy over 100,000 light years in diameter that rotates clockwise and contains a massive black hole at its center.

1. Galaxies!
Yes, there are more than
just our own.

2. Galaxies are…
 Massive systems of stars, dust and
gas held together by gravity.
 Galaxies usually have a clump of stars
at the center called the central bulge.
Some larger galaxies appear to have
black holes at the center.

3. Spiral Galaxies…
 Distinct central
concentration of
stars (bulge) at
center with spiral
arms radiating
outward.
 Spiral galaxies
make up
approximately 60%
of the galaxies in
the Universe.

4. Barred Spiral Galaxies…
 Similar to a regular spiral galaxy but
with a cross bar cutting through the
center with arms swirling at the ends

5. Elliptical Galaxies…
 You guessed it!
They are elliptical
in shape!! (I know
you know what
that means…)

6. Irregular Galaxies…
 These are the galaxies that are neither
elliptical nor spiral; they are a variety of
shapes.

7. Our Galaxy is…..
The Milky Way Galaxy!
 Barred spiral galaxy
 100,000 Light years
in Diameter
 Every star we see in
the night sky
 Rotates Clockwise

8. great

9. What’s in the center?
 We know that we have what’s called a
“central bulge”.
 It has been recently confirmed that there
is a massive black hole in the center of the
Milky Way.

10. WHAT?!?!? Black Hole?? Nooo!
 The Black hole has 4 million times the
mass of the sun, but is billions of times
weaker than black holes in other galaxies.
 Sooo… Don’t worry! It’s not going to
“suck” us into it. We’re fine. (but if it did,
you know what would happen…. We
would DIE)