The Milky Way galaxy is estimated to contain between 100 billion and 400 billion stars. Most commonly cited estimates place the number around 100 billion stars, but some sources suggest it could be as high as 400 billion or even more
. This large range reflects the difficulty in counting stars from our position inside the galaxy and the limitations of current observational methods. In summary:
- Lower estimate: about 100 billion stars
- Higher estimate: up to 400 billion stars or more
This wide range is due to challenges in detecting faint and small stars and the complexity of extrapolating measurements from parts of the galaxy to the whole
