Decide whether the statement makes sense (or is clearly true) or does not make sense (or is clearly false). Explain clearly.
The Sun’s velocity around the Milky Way tells us that most of our galaxy’s dark matter lies near the center of the galactic disk.

Why are metals less abundant in older stars than in younger stars ?

Decide whether the statement makes sense (or is clearly true) or does not make sense (or is clearly false). Explain clearly.
The carbon in my diamond ring was once part of interstellar dust grains.

Decide whether the statement makes sense (or is clearly true) or does not make sense (or is clearly false). Explain clearly.
Many spectacular ionization nebulae are seen throughout the Milky Way’s halo.

Decide whether the statement makes sense (or is clearly true) or does not make sense (or is clearly false). Explain clearly.
If I could see infrared light, the galactic center would look much more impressive.

Use the following questions to check your understanding of what the images show and what we can learn by comparing them.
The image of X-ray emission uses different colors to represent different levels of brightness. The dark blue color represents the least bright X-ray emission. Which color represents the brightest X-ray emission?

. What are the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds, and the Sagittarius and Canis Major Dwarfs?

Decide whether the statement makes sense (or is clearly true) or does not make sense (or is clearly false). Explain clearly.
Planets like Earth probably didn’t form around the very first stars because there were so few heavy elements back then.

Decide whether the statement makes sense (or is clearly true) or does not make sense (or is clearly false). Explain clearly.
We did not understand the true size and shape of our galaxy until NASA launched satellites into the galactic halo, enabling us to see what the Milky Way looks like from the outside.

What is Sgr A*? What evidence suggests that it contains a massive black hole?

What evidence suggests that the Milky Way formed from the merger of smaller protogalactic clouds?

Briefly describe the characteristics that distinguish disk stars from halo stars.

What triggers star formation within a spiral arm? How do we think spiral arms are maintained?

How do we know that spiral arms do not rotate like giant pinwheels? What makes spiral arms bright?