What the difference between the milky way and the milky way galaxy?

Question

What the difference between the milky way and the milky way galaxy?

Answer 1

The Milky Way (a translation of the Latin Via Lactea, in turn derived from the Greek Γαλαξίας (Galaxias) sometimes referred to simply as "the Galaxy"), is a barred spiral galaxy that is part of the Local Group of galaxies. Although the Milky Way is one of billions of galaxies in the observable universe,[3] the Galaxy has special significance to humanity as it is the home galaxy of the Solar System. The plane of the Milky Way galaxy is visible from Earth as a band of light in the night sky, and it is the appearance of this band of light which has inspired the name for our galaxy.

Some sources hold that, strictly speaking, the term Milky Way should refer exclusively to the observation of the band of light, while the full name Milky Way Galaxy, or alternatively the Galaxy should be used to describe our galaxy as an astrophysical whole.[4][5][6] It is unclear how widespread the usage of this convention is, however, and the term Milky Way is routinely used in either context.

Answer 2

Not really any difference.

In the past, people refered to the path of pale light across the night sky as the Milky Way because it looked like milk spilled across the sky.

When it was determined that this was just one arm of the galaxy, the entire galaxy was called the Milky Way.

Answer 3

There's no nuget at the center of the galaxy and there are no lights within the bar

Answer 4

oh my F***ing god...

Answer 5

  The milky way galaxy is where we live.. milky way is a candy bar

Answer 6

There is no difference at all.  The word "galaxy" comes from the ancient Greek name for spilled milk.  They thought that was what our Galaxy looked like, so named it thus.  Because many of us do not speak ancient Greek, we tend to call it The Milky Way Galaxy.

Answer 7

Pretend you are outside at night with others and imagine how the conversation goes when you tell them to look at that band of light stretching all across the sky. They ask what it is. You tell them either that's the milky way  OR  that's part of the milky way galaxy. Semantics. The only difference is how much do you want to know about that band of light that stretches all across the sky.

Answer 8

The milky way is a part of the galaxy that can be observed from earth as a band of stars that stretches across the night sky.  The milky way galaxy is as it exists in space and is similiar to billions of other galaxies.  

Answer 9

In amateur astronomy, 'Milky Way' sometimes refers to the band of stars that extends across certain portions of the sky, and does NOT include other stars which are nevertheless inside the galaxy called the 'Milky Way'. However, for scientific purposes, the term 'Milky Way' only means the galaxy and it is best to assume that this is what someone means if they use the term.