Star gazers

[Vagabond -SC2-]

I will try and ask my question in a coherent manner

 

first off if we are located in the milkway

Image from http://www.setv.org

 

and we are in the middle of the sprial. I would think that we can only get a really clear image of the universe around us but looking up or down (that is perpendicular to the Milkyway galaxy, or out of the screen in relation to the image shown). If this is true are we not missing a large chunk of the universe?

 

Ok, it that is not clear I will attempt to draw and image and post it.

[Tormod]

The galaxy is very transparent. It is more empty space than matter.

[Jay-qu]

yeah - the gaps between stars are in the order of light years, lots of space to peer through!

[Vagabond -SC2-]

I am glad my question was clear.

 

Thanks for the responses.

[Eclogite]

The answers were certainly clear, but unfortunately they were wrong. Views of the rest of the Universe through the plane of the galaxy are obscured by giant clouds of dust and gas.

 

It is only with the introduction of infra-red and radio astronomy that we have been able to begin to penetrate through this 'fog'. Within the last year or two that we have been able see to the centre of our galaxy, recognising for the first time that we reside in a barred rather than plain spiral. We have also added to the number of satellite galaxies associated with ours since we moved beyond optical astronomy, identifying those bodies which were concealed by the interstellar clouds.

 

However, the actual proportion of the sky excluded in this way is a very small proportion of the whole. We may be missing some interesting objects, but it is very unlikely that they are unique objects.

[Jay-qu]

lol well there you go! the most logical answer is not always the most correct one :shrug: