If the Milky Way galaxy were scaled down to the size of a postage stamp, what would the Local Group approximate in size?

Answer

About the size of a dinner plate

To visualize the hierarchical nature of cosmic geography, scaling comparisons are often utilized. When the Milky Way, which is about 100,000 light-years across, is reduced to the size of a postage stamp, the Local Group—a collection of about 50 galaxies spanning approximately 10 million light-years—is scaled up accordingly. In this comparative model, the Local Group would be equivalent in size to a dinner plate. This relationship illustrates that while the Local Group is significantly larger than a single galaxy, it remains a relatively small component when viewed in context with the larger structure, such as the Virgo Supercluster or the even more expansive Laniakea Supercluster.

If the Milky Way galaxy were scaled down to the size of a postage stamp, what would the Local Group approximate in size?

#Videos

Classroom Aid - Earth in the Virgo Supercluster - YouTube

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