Scientists have found out how much our Milky Way galaxy weighs

A method for calculating the mass of a galaxy using a rotation curve has been described by the authors of a new study that offers an accurate estimate of the mass of our Milky Way.

Read also: Four astronauts will go to the ISS to grow stem cells in space for the first time

Scientists are searching for ways to determine the mass of galaxies, and one way is to study the motion of stars within a galaxy. Many stars orbit in circular orbits around the center of a galaxy, so you can use their speed and distance from the center to determine the mass inside their orbits.

The relationship between speed and distance is called the rotation curve. By studying the rotation curve of not only the Milky Way but also other galaxies, scientists have realized that they have much more mass than would be expected from observing the stars. This led to the conclusion that most of the mass of galaxies is dark matter.

It is now known that most of the mass of the Milky Way is not concentrated in its center, but is distributed in the form of a galactic halo. The mass of this halo can be calculated using the rotation curve method, but also by observing globular star clusters.

Globular clusters are a group of stars that move through the galaxy as a single object under the influence of gravity. Studying their motion helps to determine the mass of the galactic halo.

Research results show that the mass of the Milky Way is about 1 trillion solar masses, with an error of several hundred billion solar masses.

As a reminder, scientists have answered which asteroids could destroy the Earth and when it could happen.

If you want to get the latest news about the war and events in Ukraine, subscribe to our Telegram channel!