Expert: Paul Wagner - 12/28/2011

Question
Hi Paul,
I need some help making a list of 10 interesting things that can be found in the Milky Way Galaxy. The list can include different star varieties, nebulae, planets, black holes, etc. I'd appreciate it if the list had some variety to it. I also need it to be made up of things that can be easy to do some research on. If you could give me your own list, that'd be great. Hope I'm not asking you for too much. Answer me when you can.

Answer
HI Emily

For any amateur astronomer, this kind of thing is lots of fun!

How about these for starters:

1. A planetary system like our Solar System--complete with planets that have rings, moons, cloud bands and all sorts of surfaces and atmospheres.

2.  GLobular clusters, sometimes containing thousands of stars

3.  Open clusters...perhaps not as specacular as globulars, but still really beautiful and interesting

4.  Nebulae like M41 in Orion, which serves as a stellar nursery

5. Nebulae like M1 in Taurus, the Crab Nebula, which is the remnant of a Nova

6.  Comets, comets comets everywhere...and probably around lots of stars

7.  Asteroids too--although these are harder to see, and not so exciting.

8.  Forget the Crab Nebula, what about a Nova itself?

9.  The complete range of stellar sizes and ages, so that you can see the whole range of steller evolution right here in the Milky Way

10.  Double stars, and double double stars


Is that enough?  I've seen then ALL in my telescopes!

Paul Wagner