[math-fun] What the Milky Way looks like (Warren D Smith)

another picture is http://images.sciencedaily.com/2013/12/131217085054-large.jpg which has a circled + indicating location of our sun. We appear to have defied probability a bit by not being in either the nucleus or a major arm, sort of off in a minor arm, boondocks area. The red blobs indicate especially bright stars.