The Milky Way is the galaxy that contains our solar system. It is a barred spiral galaxy, comprising hundreds of billions of stars. The Milky Way is just one of billions of galaxies in the observable universe. Its appearance from Earth is that of a hazy band of light in the night sky, formed from the combined light of stars that are too distant to be seen individually. The Milky Way is of great interest to astronomers and space enthusiasts alike, offering insights into the structure and evolution of galaxies.