What is our place in the Universe?

The Earth from space
Credit: ESO/M. Kornmesser

The Earth is a small rocky world orbiting an inconspicuous star on the outskirts of one of the few hundred billion galaxies in the Universe.

Solar System
On the doorstep! The Earth is just one of the eight planets orbiting our Sun. The Solar System, which also includes asteroids, comets and dwarf planets, is our cosmic backyard.
Credit: ESO / Andrew Z. Colvin / N. Bartmann
Milky Way Galaxy
Home town! The Sun is one of a few hundred billion stars in our Milky Way galaxy; an inconspicuous speck of light in the suburbs of our cosmic home town.
Credit: ESO / Andrew Z. Colvin / N. Bartmann

Over the past centuries, astronomers have defined our place in the wider Universe. Space is filled with a few hundred billion galaxies, grouped into vast clusters and even larger superclusters. Our own Milky Way galaxy contains a few hundred billion stars, with a wide variety of sizes, masses and colours. The Sun is just an average star, orbited by a handful of tiny planets. One of those planets is the Earth – the cradle of humanity. This speck of cosmic dust is where all of society’s history has played out.

Local Group
Going local! The Milky Way galaxy is not unique. Together with other neighbouring galaxies, both large and small, it makes up our Local Group.
Credit: ESO / Andrew Z. Colvin / N. Bartmann
Virgo Supercluster
Grand view! The Local Group is part of the Virgo Supercluster of galaxies, which is still relatively small on the scale of the Universe.
Credit: ESO / Andrew Z. Colvin / N. Bartmann

The Universe is a very big place. Our star – the Sun – is one of several hundred billion stars in our galaxy, the Milky Way. Our planet is just one of many that we have found so far.