The diameter of the observable universe is about 920,000 times the diameter of the Milky Way. Selected basis: approximate values.
The ring marks the true-scale position of the Milky Way; it does not show its width. Only the inset is enlarged (×294,000).
Both rulers start at the same zero and share one linear scale. Artwork keeps its original proportions.
28.21 Gpc - Diameter; cosmological estimate.
The observable universe is the region from which light or other signals have had time to reach us since the early universe.
About 92 billion light-years across in present-day comoving distance. Space expanded while the light travelled. The 13.8-billion-year age is a time, not its radius divided by light speed. The total universe may be far larger, possibly infinite.
NASA — How big is space? (2025)30.66 kpc - Diameter; approximate.
The Milky Way is a spiral galaxy containing hundreds of billions of stars, including our Solar System.
A rounded 100,000 light-year span of the stellar disk. Faint stars and the dark-matter halo extend farther; galaxies have no crisp rim.
NASA — Galaxies
There’s always another scale
SpaceObservable universe28.21 GpcThe observable universe is the region from which light or other signals have had time to reach us since the early universe.
SpaceMilky Way30.66 kpcThe Milky Way is a spiral galaxy containing hundreds of billions of stars, including our Solar System.
SpaceLocal Group3.066 MpcThe Local Group is a collection of galaxies that includes the Milky Way, Andromeda, and several smaller galaxies.
Fundamental physicsPlanck length1.616 × 10⁻³⁵ mThe Planck length is a scale formed from fundamental physical constants.
SpaceSun1,391,000 kmThe Sun is the star at the centre of the Solar System.
SpaceDistance to the galactic centre7.972 kpcThis is the distance from the Solar System to the centre of the Milky Way galaxy.SpaceAndromeda galaxy79.72 kpcThe Andromeda galaxy, also called M31, is the nearest large spiral galaxy to the Milky Way.Side by side
Illustrative artwork · not to scale
Illustrative artwork · not to scale
Illustrative artwork · not to scale
Illustrative artwork · not to scaleGot a good eye for scale?