What Hubble classification is the Milky Way?
Matthew Wilson
Updated on February 27, 2026
Our own Milky Way is generally classed as Sc or SBc, making it a barred spiral with well-defined arms. Examples of regular spiral galaxies: (visually) M31 (Andromeda Galaxy), M74, M81, M104 (Sombrero Galaxy), M51a (Whirlpool Galaxy), NGC 300, NGC 772.
How is the Milky Way galaxy classified?
As to classification, the Milky Way is a SBc barred spiral galaxy. And that red dot above the Orion Arm is the location of the Solar System.
What do they call Hubble’s system to classify galaxies?
The Hubble classification of galaxies, also referred to as the ‘tuning fork’ diagram because of its shape, classes galaxies along three main lines into: Elliptical galaxies.
How do we classify galaxies?
Galaxies are classified by shape. There are three general types: elliptical, spiral, and irregular. Perhaps the most familiar kind of galaxy are spiral galaxies.
What are the 4 types of galaxy?
Galaxies 101 Scientists have been able to segment galaxies into 4 main types: spiral, elliptical, peculiar, and irregular.
What are the 3 major types of galaxies?
What Kinds of Galaxies Are There? Astronomers classify galaxies into three major categories: elliptical, spiral and irregular. These galaxies span a wide range of sizes, from dwarf galaxies containing as few as 100 million stars to giant galaxies with more than a trillion stars.
What are the different types of galaxies according to Hubble?
Hubble’s Tuning Fork and Galaxy Classification 1 Spirals. A spiral galaxy is classified as an S galaxy with subclassification a, b, or c, so for example, M51 above is classified as an Sb galaxy. 2 Barred Spirals. In some spiral galaxies, the bulge has a well-defined BAR that passes through the bulge. 3 Ellipticals. 4 Irregulars.
What do the letters in the Hubble’s classification system mean?
The letter a, b or c indicates how tightly wound the spiral arms are AND how large the galactic bulge is, where class c has the smallest bulge, and the arms are the least coiled. Sometimes Hubble’s classification system is extended by adding a d type, which has even more loosely wound spiral arms and a smaller core.
What is the Milky Way galaxy?
Our Galaxy. The Milky Way Galaxy. The major arms consist of the highest densities of both young and old stars; the minor arms are primarily filled with gas and pockets of star-forming activity. The artist’s concept also includes a new spiral arm, called the “Far-3 kiloparsec arm,” discovered via a radio-telescope survey of gas in the Milky Way.
What are the properties of a spiral galaxy like the Milky Way?
Since the Milky Way is a spiral galaxy, you can consider its properties as illustrative of spiral galaxies in general. Spiral galaxies like the Milky Way often contain large amounts of gas and dust, and given the presence of gas, are found to contain many young stars and star-forming regions.