What causes the Milky Way to appear as a band in the night sky?

The Milky Way appears as a band in the night sky because we are observing it from within. Our galaxy is a flattened, spiral structure, and its stars, gas, and dust are concentrated along its plane. When we look toward the densest parts of the galaxy, particularly in the direction of the galactic centre, the stars create a bright, continuous band. Light pollution and atmospheric conditions can obscure this view, but in dark, clear skies, the Milky Way’s splendour is breathtaking.