---
title: "How many — space and the universe"
description: "11 counts and estimates in the space and the universe category, each with how the figure is arrived at and how confident it is."
url: https://atoneplace.net/how-many/space/
site: "At One Place"
---

# How many: space and the universe

11 space and the universe counts.

| Question | Answer |
| --- | --- |
| How many stars are there in the universe? | about 200 billion trillion |
| How many stars are there in the Milky Way? | between 100 billion and 400 billion |
| How many atoms are there in the universe? | about 10^80 |
| How many galaxies are there? | hundreds of billions — possibly 2 trillion |
| How many satellites are in orbit? | about 12,000 active satellites |
| How many moons are there in the solar system? | about 900 confirmed, and the number keeps moving |
| How many planets are there in the galaxy? | at least 100 billion — probably more planets than stars |
| How many stars can you see with the naked eye? | about 9,000 over the whole sky; roughly 2,500 at once |
| How many constellations are there? | exactly 88 |
| How much space junk is there? | about 40,000 tracked objects, and over 130 million fragments too small to track |
| How many asteroids are there? | about 1.4 million catalogued |

- [How many stars are there in the universe?](https://atoneplace.net/how-many/stars-in-the-universe/) — about 200 billion trillion
- [How many stars are there in the Milky Way?](https://atoneplace.net/how-many/stars-in-the-milky-way/) — between 100 billion and 400 billion
- [How many atoms are there in the universe?](https://atoneplace.net/how-many/atoms-in-the-universe/) — about 10^80
- [How many galaxies are there?](https://atoneplace.net/how-many/galaxies-in-the-universe/) — hundreds of billions — possibly 2 trillion
- [How many satellites are in orbit?](https://atoneplace.net/how-many/satellites-in-orbit/) — about 12,000 active satellites
- [How many moons are there in the solar system?](https://atoneplace.net/how-many/moons-in-the-solar-system/) — about 900 confirmed, and the number keeps moving
- [How many planets are there in the galaxy?](https://atoneplace.net/how-many/planets-in-the-milky-way/) — at least 100 billion — probably more planets than stars
- [How many stars can you see with the naked eye?](https://atoneplace.net/how-many/stars-visible-to-the-naked-eye/) — about 9,000 over the whole sky; roughly 2,500 at once
- [How many constellations are there?](https://atoneplace.net/how-many/constellations/) — exactly 88
- [How much space junk is there?](https://atoneplace.net/how-many/space-debris/) — about 40,000 tracked objects, and over 130 million fragments too small to track
- [How many asteroids are there?](https://atoneplace.net/how-many/known-asteroids/) — about 1.4 million catalogued