Test you knowledge of the Galaxy 1 / 10 What makes Alpha Centauri special in the Milky Way? It contains a black hole It is the oldest known star It is the closest star system to the Sun It is the brightest star in the sky 2 / 10 What shape is the Milky Way Galaxy? Elliptical Irregular Spiral Ring 3 / 10 What is the Crab Nebula? A reflection nebula A dark nebula absorbing nearby light A supernova remnant from an explosion observed in 1054 AD A planetary nebula formed by a red giant 4 / 10 What are the Pillars of Creation within the Eagle Nebula? Columns of gas and dust where new stars are being formed Regions of intense gamma-ray bursts Areas of dark matter Remnants of a supernova explosion 5 / 10 What is the event horizon of a black hole? A magnetic field boundary The boundary beyond which nothing can escape the black hole's gravity The point where stars are pulled in The black hole's core 6 / 10 What is the diameter of the Milky Way Galaxy? 500,000 light-years 200,000 light-years 50,000 light-years About 100,000 light-years 7 / 10 What percentage of the Milky Way's mass is believed to be dark matter? About 85% About 10% About 25% About 50% 8 / 10 What is a “galactic year”? The time it takes for a star to form. The time it takes for the solar system to orbit the center of the Milky Way, about 230 million years. The length of a year in the galactic core. The rotation period of the galactic bar. 9 / 10 What will eventually happen to the Milky Way and Andromeda galaxies? They will merge into a black hole They will collide in about 4-5 billion years Andromeda will pass by the Milky Way without interaction They will expand away from each other 10 / 10 How thick is the Milky Way's disk? 5,000 light-years 10,000 light-years 50 light-years About 1,000 light-years thick Your score isThe average score is 100% 0% Restart quiz