How do we have pictures of the Milky Way?

telecaster

Here's a rookie question that probably has a very simple answer.

As I understand it, no space mission has ever left the solar system, nor passed beyond our galaxy. This being the case how do we have pictures of the Milky Way?

Are these pictures taken from within the galaxy looking out from earth and consequently not showing the earth's position in the Milky Way?

Are the pictures in fact just artists impressions of how we believe it looks?

Or....is the Earth not part of the Milky Way at all?

User45701

We know where the earth is in the milkey way but the amount fo dust in our galaxy makes it hard to get a complete view of what it looks like, telescopes can show us other galaxys and all. But our own galaxy we have mostly mapped based on what we know of grafatational effects and our own observations. But there are no "real" pictues of our milkyway from a distance just extrapalation pictures based on known data.

The Hill Billy

telecaster wrote: »

...how do we have pictures of the Milky Way?

telecaster - The simple answer is that we have pictures of it because it is visible in the night sky. You may not be able to see it too clearly because of nearby street lights, moonlight, pollution, whatever, but it is there.

It would help if you posted up one of the images that you are talking about. Some images are produced from different sources (eg, infrared as opposed to visible light. While the look vastly different, they are still images of the same thing taken from either ground-based telescopes or satellites.

mike65

Do you mean that "ribbon of stars" type pic or the spiral shots which are probably the Andromeda galazy




The first is possible cos we are on the edge of the galaxy and so can look "across" it.

Mike.

JupiterKid

The simple answwer is that as our solar system is in the plane of the Milky Way galaxy, we can't see above or below to see what the Milky Way looks like from outside. But we DO have good data from radio, infrared and other scouces to show that our galaxy is a spiral galaxy (actually now thought to believed to bne a mildly barred spiral) like its neighbour, Andromeda and the position of our solar system within it.

So we have a reasonably good idea of what our galaxy looks like from a distance/outside.:)

AckwelFoley

I think to answer that its like taking a picture of a hurricane in a hurricane.


Its 3 dimensional, Its so Large that we are still very very far away from most of it.

mike65

"Side on" view



Mike.

Bluessucker17

HI!
I just today joined this site and now going through... This topic is very interesting for me as well. If you have no objections I can bring you some addresses of the sites. Enjoy! Thanks!
http://www.wingmakers.co.nz/The%20Universe.html
http://www.misionrahma.com/cosmic_plan/cp_ch_1.htm

The Hill Billy

Bluessucker17 wrote: »

HI!
I just today joined this site and now going through... This topic is very interesting for me as well. If you have no objections I can bring you some addresses of the sites. Enjoy! Thanks!
http://www.wingmakers.co.nz/The%20Universe.html
http://www.misionrahma.com/cosmic_plan/cp_ch_1.htm

Noting to do with the Milky Way really. Or the Universe that I live in for that matter. Mumbo-jumbo ftw!

telecaster

There's some slightly contradictory answers there folks

JupiterKid you have put it best I think with a runners up prize for user45701.

Thanks

The Hill Billy

What's contradictory?