markp@tekmdp.UUCP (Mark Paulin) (08/16/83)
Of course the name of our sun is "Sol", hence "solar system". The name of our galaxy is "The Milky Way", or sometimes just "the Galaxy" with a capital "G". Mark Paulin ...tektronix!tekmdp!markp
kwmc@hou5d.UUCP (08/18/83)
Our galaxy is NOT called the Milky Way. The Milky Way refers to the band of stars which are visible form the earth, when looking away from the galactic center. i.e. The Milky Way refers to a part of our galaxy in a spiral arm. Ken Cochran hou5d!kwmc P.S. does anybody disaggree ?
ntt@dciem.UUCP (Mark Brader) (08/19/83)
Some authors use "Sol" (especially in science fiction, but then, they have the most need), some use "the Sun", some use "the sun", some use "our sun"... and similarly with "Milky Way", "our galaxy", etc. In short, it is a matter of opinion. But there is one group whose opinion matters more, and that is the people who assign names to comets and the like. The International Union of Astronomy, is it? Now, if anybody knows the proper name of the group and the usages that THEY prefer, tell us please. Mark Brader, NTT Systems Inc., Toronto
alle@ihuxb.UUCP (08/19/83)
The name of our galaxy is "The Milky Way". The band of stars that we see at night is The Milky Way seen edge on. Allen England at Bell Labs, Naperville, IL ihnp4!ihuxb!alle
REM@MIT-MC@sri-unix.UUCP (08/22/83)
From: Robert Elton Maas <REM @ MIT-MC> I've always seen our galaxy called "the Milky Way Galaxy", and M31 called "the Andromeda Galaxy". Thus while "the Milky Way" might refer just to what you see from the Earth, add the word "Galaxy" and it's the usual name for our galaxy. Is there any other name for our galaxy in common use other than local names such as "the Galaxy" or "our galaxy" etc.? Is there any other name for M31?