This mind-blowing map shows Earth’s position within the vast universe

This story is part of our Cosmic Perspective series, where we explore the vastness of the universe and our position within it. You can find the entire series here. Subscribers can view a larger version of the map at the bottom of the page.

This map illustrates the region of the universe surrounding us, extending out to about 200 million light-years. At this scale, the universe is characterized by clusters of galaxies and vast voids—regions with relatively few galaxies. The Milky Way, positioned at the center of this map, is part of the Local Group of galaxies, with the Virgo Cluster being one of its closest major clusters.

The Milky Way Galaxy features a prominent spiral structure with two main arms, known as Scutum-Centaurus and Perseus. It also has a central bar of stars. Our solar system is located on a minor arm called the Orion Spur.

While understanding our metaphorical place in the universe can be complex, astronomy allows us to precisely determine Earth’s physical location.

Earth orbits the Sun at an average distance of about 150 million kilometers, and the Sun orbits the center of the Milky Way Galaxy. We are situated in the Orion Arm, approximately 26,500 light-years from the Milky Way’s center.

The Milky Way is part of the Local Group of galaxies. Our closest neighboring galaxy, Andromeda, lies about 2.5 million light-years away and is the largest galaxy in the Local Group. Currently, the Milky Way and Andromeda are moving toward each other at more than 100 kilometers per second. In approximately 4 billion years, they are expected to collide.

This impending collision will significantly alter the Local Group, reshaping the galaxy structures in our vicinity.