My latest "newbie" revelation!

[Barry W]

I've been reading the introductory chapters of Burnham's Celestial Handbook. He introduced astronomy in a very easy to read format and he put everything in an understandable scale. On to my revelation - I always thought I understood the hierarchy (earth-solar system-galaxy-universe) but the the relations of galaxies is just becoming clear. As I now see things, a vast majority of all the stars, nebulae, clusters are within our own galaxy (pretty much everything that is visible to the naked eye and at low power). The more advanced systems of the most serious amateurs and observatories are isolating individual stars and clusters within distant galaxies obviously, but am I right in assuming this beyond the scope of the average backyard astronomer? You more experienced folks have produced amazing photographic work of the observable galaxies - is it fair to say that a good proportion of the individual stars within and surrounding those still remain within our own Milky Way?

I feel so much smaller now (stargazing has shrunk from the universe to the galaxy for the most part)!!

Cheers,

Barry

[roundycat]

I think folks have imaged stars in M31 and M33 but for most of the time any star you see is 'one of ours'.

Dennis

[irishbloke]

I agree the burham book has a brillant intro section. Blows your mind the scale of things.

Brian