From our special place in the Orion Arm to the Milky Way's future collision with the Andromeda Galaxy, this book looks at the structure, formation and evolution of our home galaxy and its place in the universe. Find out how it compares to other galaxies, why it could be unique, and discover the most exciting and perplexing phenomena within it, including supernovae, the different kinds of stars, planetary systems and radiation, plus the monstrous, supermassive black hole Sagittarius A*. The various spacecraft that are observing our galaxy are introduced, as they help us to piece together a clearer picture of its structure, investigating the mind-blowing processes within it and giving us a snapshot into its future.