Overheard: extent of Milky Way

Astronomy 210, Fall Semester 2010
Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA

(Overheard following an introductory astronomy lecture-tutorial on the total vs. visible extent of the Milky Way.)

Instructor (to class): "So why do you think we can't see most of our Milky Way?"

Student 1: "Because it's so huge."

Instructor: "Then how it is possible that we can see distant galaxies outside the Milky Way?"

(Beat.)

Student 2: "Uh...because they're huge, too?"