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What kind of galaxy is the Milky Way?

The Milky Way Read more from
Chapter Galaxies

Figuring out the shape of the Milky Way is, for us, somewhat like a fish trying to figure out the shape of the ocean. Based on careful observations and calculations, though, it appears that the Milky Way is a barred spiral galaxy, probably classified as an SBb or SBc on the Hubble tuning fork diagram.

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