The real name for the Milky Way is the Milky Way Galaxy.
The term "Milky Way" refers both to the galaxy itself and the band of light we see across the night sky, which is formed by the combined light of stars within our galaxy. This luminous band appears as an irregular, milky-looking stretch across the sky, hence the name.
Here's a breakdown:
- Milky Way (Galaxy): This is the name of our spiral galaxy, home to our solar system and hundreds of billions of other stars.
- Milky Way (Appearance): This refers to the visual phenomenon of the band of light visible from Earth, caused by looking into the plane of our galaxy.
Essentially, the "real name" is the same as the common name: the Milky Way Galaxy. It's just that "Milky Way" can refer to both the galaxy itself and its appearance in the night sky.
