Our Milky Way Galaxy is unusual in that it is one of the most
massive galaxies in the nearby universe. Our Solar System also
seems to have qualities that make it rather unique. These
qualities make the Sun one of the few stars in the Galaxy
capable of supporting complex life. Our Milky Way Galaxy is
unusual in that it is one of the most massive galaxies in the
nearby universe. Our Solar System also seems to have qualities
that make it rather unique. According to Guillermo Gonzalez ,
Assistant Professor of Astronomy at the University of
Washington, these qualities make the Sun one of the few stars in
the Galaxy capable of supporting complex life. For one thing,
the Sun is composed of the right amount of "metals."
(Astronomers refer to all elements heavier than hydrogen and
helium as "metals.") Moreover, the Sun's circular orbit about
the galactic center is just right; through a combination of
factors it manages to keep out of the way of the Galaxy's
dangerous spiral arms. Our Solar System is also far enough aw