* The Milky Way is a spiral galaxy: It has a central bulge, spiral arms, and a halo.
* The halo is vast: The Milky Way's halo, a diffuse region of gas and stars, extends far beyond the visible disk.
* Gravitational influence: Even beyond the visible halo, the Milky Way's gravitational influence extends into the space between galaxies.
However, we can talk about the extent of the visible disk:
* Diameter: The Milky Way's visible disk is estimated to be about 100,000 light-years in diameter.
* Our location: We're located about 26,000 light-years from the galactic center.
So, depending on where you're starting from within the Milky Way, the distance to the "edge" (meaning the edge of the visible disk) could vary significantly.
