The Milky Way is a massive spiral galaxy in which our solar system is located. It is made up of hundreds of billions of stars, planets, gas, interstellar dust and “dark matter”. It measures about 100,000 light years across and contains several spiral arms, in which new stars are forming. Our solar system is located in one of these spiral arms, known as the Orion Arm or the Orion-Sagittarius Arm, approximately 27,000 light years from the center of the Galaxy.
At the heart of the Milky Way lies a gigantic supermassive black hole, Sagittarius A*. It is roughly the size of 4 million solar masses. By comparison, the Sun is 1 solar mass in size, which is logical because scientists have taken the Sun as a reference to express the mass of titanic objects such as galaxies or black holes. Sagittarius A*, like any self-respecting black hole, exerts a gravitational attraction on everything around it. Around this black hole, stars orbit at incredible speeds.
In the spiral arms of the Milky Way, you have surely noticed our Solar System located on the arm of Orion. The Solar System is indeed a comet… I have to stop my stupid jokes. More seriously, the Solar System is a planetary system composed of a central star, the Sun, and all the celestial objects that orbit around it under the influence of its gravity. These objects are planets, moons, dwarf planets, asteroids, comets, meteorites and various other celestial bodies.
Let's take a brief overview of these main celestial bodies. The Sun, a 4.5 billion-year-old yellow dwarf star, is the heart of our solar system, emitting light and heat essential for life on Earth. Its nuclear reactions produce this energy, generating light and heat through the fusion of hydrogen into helium. This solar energy influences our climate and fuels plant growth, providing food and oxygen. Additionally, the Sun's gravity keeps the planets in orbit, ensuring the stability of the solar system.
Second, A planet is a celestial body that orbits a star, usually the Sun, and is large enough to be spherical due to its own gravity. Unlike stars, they do not produce their own light but reflect that of their star. What sets them apart from asteroids and comets is their ability to clear their orbits of surrounding debris. According to the International Astronomical Union, it is a planet if: it orbits the Sun, is massive enough to be spherical in its gravity, and has cleared debris from its orbit. This is the case here of Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune are planets.
It is from this statement that we were able to remove Pluto and classify it as a dwarf planet. Dwarf Planets do not respect the last rule. Their small size does not allow them to exert strong gravity to clear their orbital trajectory. Meteorites or asteroids can be found on their path.
Besides, what is the difference between meteorites, asteroids and comets?
Meteorites, comets, and asteroids are all celestial objects, but they differ in their composition and origin. Meteorites are fragments of rock or metal from space that have survived entry into Earth's atmosphere and reached the Earth's surface. Comets are mostly made of ice, dust, and rock, and they orbit the Sun in elliptical paths, often accompanied by a long trail of light as they approach the Sun. Asteroids are rocky or metallic bodies smaller than planets, located primarily in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, although they can also be found elsewhere in the solar system.
You also have moons. You will note here that “moons” with lowercase “l” designates the satellite of a planet. Examples of moons include Titan which is the largest moon of Saturn, Ganymede which orbits Jupiter and which is the largest satellite in the Solar System (it is also larger than Mercury). And the “Moon” with capital “L” points to the Earth’s only natural satellite. It orbits the Earth at an average distance of about 384,400 kilometers. It is mainly composed of rocks and regolith , with a surface marked by craters, mountains and basalt plains. The Moon plays an important role in the solar system by influencing Earth's tides and acting as a celestial landmark for navigation. It was also the location of several manned space missions, notably the Apollo missions which allowed you humans (you know the guy who thinks he's in an anime) to walk on its surface for the first time in 1969. The Moon continues to spark scientific interest and human exploration because of its potential for scientific research and future exploration.
In short, the Milky Way is a fascinating galaxy, full of diversity and mysteries to discover. It is home to a multitude of stars, nebulae, star clusters and dark matter, all interconnected by the force of gravity, forming a spectacular cosmic spectacle in the vast universe. But I will talk about all that because if I speak… If you liked the concept, you can tell me which subject interests you the most.