Let us assume that our galaxy consists of 2.5 × 1011 stars each of one solar mass. How long will a star at a distance of 50,000 ly from the galactic centre take to complete one revolution? Take the diameter of the Milky Way to be 105 ly.

There are huge Stars in galaxy which together constitute a very huge mass and centre point of all concentrated mass galactic centre, we assume Star revolve around galactic centre in the same way in which planets revolve around sun we can assume all starts in milky way to constitute one heavenly body assuming all the mass to be concentrated at a single point Galactic centre and other heavenly bodies like stars revolve around galactic centre so we can treat distance of star from milky way as the orbital radius of revolving star

We know If a body orbits around other heavier body due to gravitational force of attraction then we have a relation between mass of heavier body, time period of revolution and, radius of the orbit as



Where M is the mass of heavier body, R is the radius of orbit, G is universal gravitational Constant


G = 6.67 × 10-11 Nm2Kg-2


and T is time period of revolution


So rearranging above equation we get time period of revolution as



We are give total mass of Mass of Galaxy as


M = 2.5 × 1011 solar mass


Now 1 solar mass is mass of sun which is


Ms = 2 × 1030 Kg


So total mass of the galaxy is


M = 2.5 × 1011 × Ms


= 2.5 × 1011 × 2 × 1030 Kg


= 5 × 1041 Kg


we are given distance of star from galactic center which is Radius of Milky way or orbital radius for star that is


R = 50000 ly = 5 × 104 ly


We know that one light year is distance travelled by light in one year


And distance is given as


S = V × t


Where S is the distance covered in time t moving at a speed V


Speed of light is


V = 3 × 108 m/s


Converting time of 1 year into seconds


1 year = 365.25 days


1 day = 24 hours


1 hour = 60 minutes


1 minute = 60 seconds


So we get time of 1 year as


t = 365.25 × 24 × 60 × 60 s


so we get distance of 1 light year as


S = 3 × 108 m/s × 365.25 × 24 × 60 × 60 s


i.e 1 light year = 9.46 × 1015 m


Therefore, the radius of milky way is


R = 5 × 104 × 9.46 × 1015 = 4.73 x 1020 m


So putting values of R, M, G in equation to find time period




= 4.246 × 1015 s


Converting into years


We already know


1 year = 365.25 × 24 × 60 × 60 s


So 1 s = 1/(365.25 × 24 × 60 × 60) Year


So we get time period in the year as



So star will take 1.34 × 108 Years to complete one revolution


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