how do we know how many galaxies we have if we cant even travel that far?

Question

supposedly, we know what galaxy we're in, how do we know that?

Answer 1

How do you know there are leaves on a tree if you don't climb it? You can see them, of course. We see many galaxies directly by exploring the sky with telescopes. There are even some galaxies that can be seen with the naked eye if you can find a dark place or if the whole power grid is off over a seven-state area.

Astronomers are constantly mapping the sky, and we have a good picture of how galaxies and clusters of galaxies are distributed through space. So we know by observation, just as you know there are leaves on the tree in the neighbor's yard.

While we're at it, I must sternly correct all those who have mentioned telescopes that "can see such-and-such distance out into space." False concept. Telescopes gather light and other kinds of radiation. The light comes from remote parts of the universe. The telescope is a passive device that does not "reach out and grab" light coming from great distances. It is the passive light gathering capacity of a telescope that determines what it can see. The more light gathering capacity a telescope has, the more distant objects it will record. Thanks.

Answer 2

How do you know there are stars in the sky if you can't travel that far? Because you can see them every night. With a telescope, you can see galaxies. The number of galaxies is an estimate. We can see a certain number in one part of space, a certain number in another, and we average the numbers to figure out the density. We believe the universe is size X, so we just multiply that by density Y, and there you go. Obviously it is a little more complex than that, but that is the basic idea.

Answer 3

Galaxies can be seen in large telescopes. The number of galaxies is estimated by imaging a small square of space with a telescope, counting the number of galaxies in the picture then multiplying that number by the total number of like sized squares in the sky.

Answer 4

It's all from observations by astronomers using telescopes. We don't know the exact number of galaxies in the universe but astronomers take a sample picture of galaxies and then figure from that the appoximate number of galaxies in the universe. We know what galaxy we are in because you can see the band of stars in the disk called the Milky Way and that's what we named our galaxy.

Answer 5

We don't know how many galaxies there are out there. Our universe is constantly expanding and more may be forming all the time. Our best estimate is only a guess.
Our galaxy has been named the Milky Way galaxy, I believe because of the density (number) of stars, planets and such that surround us, as seen by astronomers.

Answer 6

I like your use of the term "supposedly". Shows that you aren't willing to accept scientific data from the past 50 years as fact (unlike the rest of us).
But we don't have to go out there to see things. Telescopes can see out into space about 13 billion light years, and they can detect a lot of the galaxies in space (not all, but a lot).
We know the shape of the Milky Way galaxy from analysis of radio, infrared, X-ray, ultraviolet, and visible light from all kinds of different telescopes and sensors.
Astronomers have massive computers and a lot of mathematical knowledge, so they are fairly confident they know a lot about our galaxy (though they know they don't know everything). And they learn new things every day.

Answer 7

we gained't p.c.. lunches sufficiently massive to maintain us going until eventually we get there, and then we nevertheless have the undertaking of having back. it would be a lot much less complicated so you might swim the pacific ocean than to get to a diverse galaxy. CLUE: it rather is an rather good way.

Answer 8

I assume you know about telescopes and rasia telescopes and other more sophisticated devices that can see out hundreds of thousands of light years and pictures transmittel back using tight beams and other means of communications and then there is the hubble telescope get the picture now Gorbalizer

Answer 9

Maybe there is a probe that can travel out of the milky way, our galaxy, and take pictures of it. Or maybe the telescopes we make can see what the milky way look like.