<p>The central part of the milky way has a <em>dark</em> band, the result of dust blocking out light from more distant stars.  This is sometimes called the &quot;Great rift&quot; or &quot;dark rift&quot;.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-11-27T13:36:48.487Z
2022-11-27T13:36:48.487Z
James K
<p>I am wondering what are the various names given to the plane of the milky way. I am looking for a specific one I once heard, and will likely recognise when I see it.</p>
<p>If I can explain better with <a href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/stars-1257860/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">a picture</a>, what are the various names of this bright band of dust and galactic-core:</p>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/QUu54.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/QUu54.png" alt="" /></a></p>
<p>I apologise if this is not an <em>astronomy</em> question. What subject would it fall under, if not? Certainly, I am not looking for astrological mumbo jumbo or anything.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-11-24T14:53:51.490Z
Are you perhaps referring to the galaxy components known as the bulge, the thin disk, the thick disk, and the halo?
pela
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-11-24T14:55:06.417Z
@pela I don't think so. It's not necessarily a technical name, iirc.
Rabbi Kaii
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-11-24T22:43:16.160Z
Wikipedia has a [list of names for the Milky Way](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_names_for_the_Milky_Way), e.g. Straw Path, Silver River.
Mike G
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-11-27T08:24:40.320Z
"great rift"? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Rift_(astronomy)#:~:text=In%20astronomy%2C%20the%20Great%20Rift,galaxy%20from%20Earth's%20perspective.
James K
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-11-27T12:59:04.023Z
@JamesK I think that might be it... Not sure. I'll leave the question open a while longer and if nothing better comes along I'll accept that as the answer (if you make it into one)
Rabbi Kaii
<milky-way><night-sky><nomenclature>
Names of the galactic backdrop
Rabbi Kaii
# Names of the galactic backdrop

(Asked by: username_0 on 2022-11-24)

I am wondering what are the various names given to the plane of the milky way. I am looking for a specific one I once heard, and will likely recognise when I see it.

If I can explain better with [a picture](https://www.pexels.com/photo/stars-1257860/), what are the various names of this bright band of dust and galactic-core:

[![](https://i.sstatic.net/QUu54.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/QUu54.png)

I apologise if this is not an *astronomy* question. What subject would it fall under, if not? Certainly, I am not looking for astrological mumbo jumbo or anything.

**Tags:** milky-way, night-sky, nomenclature

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Are you perhaps referring to the galaxy components known as the bulge, the thin disk, the thick disk, and the halo?  
> **username_0**: @username_1 I don't think so. It's not necessarily a technical name, iirc.  
> **username_2**: Wikipedia has a [list of names for the Milky Way](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_names_for_the_Milky_Way), e.g. Straw Path, Silver River.  
> **username_3**: "great rift"? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Rift_(astronomy)#:~:text=In%20astronomy%2C%20the%20Great%20Rift,galaxy%20from%20Earth's%20perspective.  
> **username_0**: @JamesK I think that might be it... Not sure. I'll leave the question open a while longer and if nothing better comes along I'll accept that as the answer (if you make it into one)  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2022-11-27. Score: 2 | Accepted answer

The central part of the milky way has a *dark* band, the result of dust blocking out light from more distant stars. This is sometimes called the "Great rift" or "dark rift".


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