Rank from the largest to the smallest: constellation, galaxy and solar system?
1 Answer
From largest to smallest are galaxy, constellation and solar system with some caveats.
Explanation:
A solar system is a star and its orbiting planets, asteroids, comets and other bodies. It is the smallest of the three.
A constellation is not actually a structure. It is an artificial grouping of stars which appear to form a pattern. Typically the stars of a constellation are each significantly different distances from Earth and over time the shape of the constellation changes. The stars of a constellation are in the same galaxy as us.
A galaxy is a collection of stars and other objects orbiting around a centre. We are in the Milky Way galaxy. All of the visible stars are in the Milky Way along with many other stars we can't see.
So a galaxy contains the stars of a constellation and stars have solar systems.
On exception to this is that some objects in constellations maybe distant galaxies in their own right. They tend to require binoculars or a telescope to see them.
