Our galaxy could be 50 percent bigger than previously thought

The Milky Way galaxy may be larger than originally thought.
(Image credit: iStock)

The Milky Way just got a whole lot more impressive.

New research published in The Astrophysical Journal suggests that the galaxy may be as much as 50 percent bigger than scientists previously thought. It likely spans 150,000 light-years, rather than 100,000 light-years, as was believed in the past. The researchers used data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey to reach the conclusion.

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Meghan DeMaria

Meghan DeMaria is a staff writer at TheWeek.com. She has previously worked for USA Today and Marie Claire.