It’s one of those things I’ve always wondered, why Milky Way is called, well… Milky Way? I mean, what’s so milky about it?
Well, even though i still can’t see it, it did look like milk to ancient civilizations.
Our galaxy is named Milky Way because of its milky appearance as it spreads all over the sky. The name dates back to ancient Greece as the Greek word for galaxy derives from the word “milk” (gala). Following the Greeks, the Romans called our galaxy “Via Lactea”, which translates to “The road of milk”. (the article continues after the ad)
According to the Greek myth, Zeus brought his son Heracles home for Hera to breastfeed while she was sleeping. Hera did not like Heracles because the child was half-mortal and was the result of one of Zeus’ affairs. When Hera awoke, she quickly pushed Heracles away, which caused a few drops of milk to spill into the night sky.
If you like what you read, then you will definitely love this one: This Is Why Pluto Is Still A Planet In New Mexico
Source: mental floss
Photo: derwiki / Pixabay
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