What is a galaxy?
A galaxy is a huge group of billions of stars, along with gas, dust and planets, all held together in space. Our galaxy is called the Milky Way. It is shaped like a giant spinning spiral.
Our Solar System
Our Solar System is made up of the Sun and everything that goes around it — the eight planets (including Earth), their moons, and smaller objects like asteroids. The Sun is just one of the billions of stars in the Milky Way.
Key idea
Earth is in the Solar System, and the Solar System is inside the Milky Way galaxy. The Milky Way is one of billions of galaxies in the whole Universe.
Where do we fit?
We live on planet Earth. Earth goes around the Sun. The Sun and its Solar System sit in one arm of the Milky Way, far from its centre. So our home is a tiny part of a very, very large Universe.
Remember
- Earth → Solar System → Milky Way galaxy → Universe (smallest to largest).
- The Sun is a star.