What do we mean when we talk about the Milky Way in our sky?
A) The patchy band of light that outlines the plane of the Milky Way Galaxy as seen from Earth.
B) The whitish patch of light we see when we look toward the center of the Milky Way Galaxy.
C) The spiral-shaped galaxy in which we live.
D) The bright stars of the constellations that lie along the ecliptic in our sky.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The patchy band of light that outlines the plane of the Milky Way Galaxy as seen from Earth is what we refer to as "the Milky Way" in our sky.

Answer: B
 While the entire band of light is part of the Milky Way Galaxy, the whitish patch of light we see when looking towards the center of the galaxy is also commonly referred to as "the Milky Way" in our sky.

Answer: C
 The Milky Way is the name of the spiral-shaped galaxy in which we live.

Answer: D
 The bright stars of constellations that lie along the ecliptic in our sky are not typically referred to as "the Milky Way."

What Do We Mean When We Talk About the Milky