This children’s article, Exploring the Milky Way: A kids’ guide to our galaxy, has been written for native English speakers and learners of English as a second or foreign language. It can help children practise reading and comprehension, learn useful vocabulary, and discover amazing facts about space, our galaxy and the Milky Way. Written by Sinead O’Carroll, an experienced teacher and writer.
What is the Milky Way?
When you look up at the night sky, you might notice a faint, cloudy band of light stretching across the darkness. That’s the Milky Way, the galaxy where we live. Our Solar System, with the Sun, Earth, and all the other planets, is just one tiny part of it.
From Earth, the Milky Way looks like a glowing river of stars. That’s how it got its name, because it looks like milk spilled across the sky.
What is a galaxy?
A galaxy is a massive group of stars, planets, gas, and dust, all held together by gravity.
There are billions of galaxies in the universe. Some are small and round, while others are stretched out like ovals. The Milky Way is a spiral galaxy, with long arms that curl around like a giant pinwheel.
How many stars and planets are in the Milky Way?
Astronomers estimate that the Milky Way contains at least 100 billion stars, and maybe even 400 billion. Many of these stars have their own planets. That means there could be billions of planets in our galaxy alone.
How old is the Milky Way?
The Milky Way is about 13.6 billion years old. That makes it almost as old as the universe itself. Astronomers say it is still a young galaxy compared to how long galaxies can last. It is constantly changing and growing as new stars are born.
Could there be life in the Milky Way?
This is one of the most exciting questions in science. Astronomers believe about 10% of star systems in the Milky Way could be good places for life. These are the stars that are in safe areas, far from dangerous explosions called supernovae, and that have the right ingredients for planets.
So somewhere out there, on a distant planet, there could be life looking up at the same Milky Way sky as we are.
Fun fact
If you could travel at the speed of light, it would still take about 100,000 years to cross from one side of the Milky Way to the other. That is how enormous our galaxy really is.
For more about galaxies and the universe, you can explore the European Southern Observatory website.
Article vocabulary list
- Galaxy – a giant group of stars, planets, gas, and dust held together by gravity
- Solar System – the Sun and the planets, moons, and other objects that move around it
- Spiral – a shape that curves around and around like a coil or pinwheel
- Astronomer – a scientist who studies space, stars, and planets
- Supernova – a powerful explosion that happens when a star dies
- Ingredients – the parts needed to make or create something
Comprehension questions
Just click the plus (+) to see the answer
1. What is the Milky Way?
a) A cloud in the night sky
b) The galaxy where we live
c) A famous telescope
Answer: b) The galaxy where we live
2. What type of galaxy is the Milky Way?
a) Round
b) Spiral
c) Oval
Answer: b) Spiral
3. About how old is the Milky Way?
a) 136 million years
b) 13.6 billion years
c) 1.3 trillion years
Answer: b) 13.6 billion years
4. How long would it take to travel across the Milky Way at the speed of light?
a) 100,000 years
b) 1,000 years
c) 10 million years
Answer: a) 100,000 years
5. What percentage of star systems in the Milky Way may be good for life?
a) 1%
b) 10%
c) 50%
Answer: b) 10%
Sinead is a writer and EFL teacher with eight years’ experience. She’s a native English speaker who loves making news stories fun and easy to understand for children around the world. Her passions include travel, animals, and helping to make the world a kinder, more sustainable place.
