Find the mass of the our galaxy

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    Galaxy Mass
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To estimate the number of stars in the Milky Way, one approach is to divide the galaxy's total mass by the average mass of a star. The mass of the associated planets is considered negligible for this calculation. Using the mass of the Sun as a standard is a straightforward method, but it requires justification. Additionally, considering the relative proportions of different star sizes can provide a more accurate estimate. This method highlights the importance of understanding stellar mass distribution in the galaxy.
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im doing a problem were i find the mass of the our galaxy and i found the mass. What the problem is saying is to use the mass found to estimate how many stars are in our galaxy?
 
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richman614 said:
im doing a problem were i find the mass of the our galaxy and i found the mass. What the problem is saying is to use the mass found to estimate how many stars are in our galaxy?

Maybe you should look up the average mass of a star? I'm assuming the mass of the associated planets is nearly negligible in comparison.
 
Or you could look up relative proportions of star sizes in our galaxy and do a weighted average.

Or the simple way would be to just use the mass of the sun: you would have to justify this though.
 

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