# What is the core of the galaxy like?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-core-of-the-galaxy-like/532558>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 15, 2010, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-core-of-the-galaxy-like/532558 "2010-03-15T17:13:26Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![sweeteviljesus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/898d66/32.png) [@sweeteviljesus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sweeteviljesus)\
**Post date:** [March 15, 2010, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-core-of-the-galaxy-like/532558/1 "2010-03-15T17:13:26Z")

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Not right at the core where there is a super-massive black hole, but near there out to about 1000 LYs. How close are the stars to one another? What are their mechanics like? Do these stars have solar systems?

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**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\
**Post date:** [March 15, 2010, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-core-of-the-galaxy-like/532558/2 "2010-03-15T20:26:58Z")

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Here’s the center in [visible light](http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap990911.html). Here’s a more detailed view: [Milky Way Center Region Mosaic](http://astrosurf.com/sguisard/Pagim/GC.html). There’s too much dust to see much, but that situation improves at other wavelengths:  
[X-Ray](http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap020110.html)  
[Infrared](http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap010708.html)  
[Radio](http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap020803.html)

Here’s a description of the [star population of the central cubic pasrsec.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galactic_Center#Stellar_population)

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**Author:** ![Olentzero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90ced4/32.png) [@Olentzero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Olentzero)\
**Post date:** [March 16, 2010, 8:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-core-of-the-galaxy-like/532558/3 "2010-03-16T08:41:34Z")

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The Grox are there making sure you don’t get to talk to Steve.

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**Author:** ![Laudenum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@Laudenum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laudenum)\
**Post date:** [March 16, 2010, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-core-of-the-galaxy-like/532558/4 "2010-03-16T12:37:40Z")

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It’s grand, just watch out for the Raiel.