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Milky Way Galaxy
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Milky Way Galaxy Article

How big is the Milky Way Galaxy?

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The first reliable measurement of the size of the Milky Way Galaxy was made in 1917 by American astronomer Harlow Shapley. Assuming that the globular clusters outlined the Galaxy, he determined that it has a diameter of about 100,000 light-years. His values have held up remarkably well over the years.

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