Home galaxy of Earth, the Milky Way is a spiral-shaped system of a few hundred billion stars. Bright regions of recently formed stars highlight its arms, while older stars explode or expel the outer layers as planetary nebulae, then fade away and die. A thick swarm of orange and red stars marks the galactic bulge, encapsulating the star-packed galactic center. At its core may lie a black hole, a region so dense that not even light can escape its gravitational pull. All objects in the Milky Way orbit the galactic center, much like planets in Earth's solar system revolve around the sun. But the scale is staggering: Light from a star at one edge of the galaxy takes about 100,000 years to reach the opposite side.
Explore the Milky Way with this gorgeous computer-generated image. Showing the entire galaxy in one perspective of a 3D model, this map incorporates the positions of hundreds of thousands of stars and nebulae. It shows Earth's location near the Orion Arm, and includes additional photographs, descriptions, and locations of fascinating phenomena throughout the galaxy.
Star clusters, nebulae, and more are all depicted on this map in vivid blasts of color against the darkness of space. With new tools, astronomers are unraveling the nature of the Milky Way.
This map is an attractive product for the budding astronomer. It makes an essential companion to Solar System: The Sun's Neighborhood.
Printed on polypropylene, an ideal material for wall maps as the printing brings out rich colours, and crisp edges for readability. The material is stronger than most papers and unlikely to crease or rip. The matte finish eliminates glare, and adds texture to the map. Ideal for display.
Your map is rolled and packaged in a sturdy tube to protect it during shipment.