Galactic astronomy

Galactic astronomy is the study of our own Milky Way galaxy and all its contents. This is in contrast to extragalactic astronomy, which is the study of everything outside our galaxy, including all other galaxies.

Related Topics:
Milky Way - Extragalactic astronomy

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Galactic astronomy should not be confused with galaxy formation and evolution, which is the general study of galaxies, their formation, structure, components, dynamics, interactions, and the range of forms they take.

Related Topics:
Galaxy formation and evolution - Galaxies

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Our own Milky Way galaxy, where our solar system belongs, is in many ways the best studied galaxy, although important parts of it are obscured from view in visible wavelengths by regions of galactic dust. The development of radio astronomy and submillimeter astronomy in the 20th Century allowed the gas and dust of the Milky Way to be mapped for the first time.

Related Topics:
Milky Way - Solar system - Wavelength - Galactic dust - Radio astronomy

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