How can we take pictures of our galaxy, the milky way, when we can not get outside of it to do so?

Question

I can not understand if we are unable to reach outside our galaxy, where do the pictures come from? Satalites can not go beyond this...

Answer 1

OK question. The milky way is shaped like a disc. We live in the exterior part, but there are much more stars in the interior parts. So what we can see as the "milky way" in the sky is actually the large concentration of stars in the interior parts of the disc. But you can't take an image of the entire milky way from above without travelling outside the milky way (which we cannot).

However, it is certainly possible to make simulations of what such an image could look like based on observations of stars from the earth.

By the way, there are plenty of galaxies like our own milkey way in the universe and by looking at these it is also possible to get an idea of what the milky way looks like from outside.

Hope that helps.

Answer 2

Eri is correct. The pictures that you see of "our" galaxy are either pictures of another galaxy (usually the Andromeda galaxy if I remember correctly) or a simulation. We know enough about our galaxy to know that its a spiral galaxy with a number of arms, so its easy to find other galaxies that look similar and then publish pictures showing what the Milky Way would look like from a distant point of view.

Answer 3

We can calculate a star's position in relation to our own. Do that a billion times (and then some) and you have a relatively good picture of the Milky Way. The program Celestia allows you to travel about the universe and view the stars from any position you want.

Answer 4

We can't take photos of the whole galaxy because we can't get out of it. If you've seen a picture of the whole galaxy, it's either a different galaxy or an artists' interpretation.

We can, however, photograph the center of our galaxy from being inside it, since we're out near the edge. Maybe that's what you saw.

Answer 5

We can't. Any picture you see of the whole Milky way is made by an artist or computer using what we know about the distribution of the stars in it.

Answer 6

It isnt the entire galaxy. Its like taking a picture of something in front of you and not the whole way around.

Answer 7

We take pictures of what we can see and use computers to create what we can't see. We also compare what we know to galaxies similar to ours to see what we may look like.

Answer 8

good question im a scientist so i know these kind of things they send a spaceship with a camera attached on to it and it takes wonderful pictures of the milky way

Answer 9

Try a web-site called, CELESTIA ... you'll be "blown away" with the experience of travelling about the universe. Hope this fits the bill for ya!

Answer 10

well scientists can take pictures all around us, then like puzzle, they put them together to form the picture of milky way that we see.