UmZilafasimbe

umZilafasimbe igama lomthalakazi ohlanganisa uhlelo lozungezolanga lethu, unegama elichazisa ummomo womthalakazi uma uwubuka usemhlabeni: umthende owufasimba wokukhanya obonakala esibhakabhakeni sasebusuku owakhiwa izinkanyezi ezingahlukaniseki ngeso lenyama. Igama elithi umZilafasimbe lihunyushwe kwesiLatini via lactea, kusukela kwelesiGreki γαλακτικός κύκλος ( Template:Transliteration ), elisho ukuthi “indlela yobisi”. Emhlabeni, umZilafasimbe ubonakala njengomthende ngoba uhlaka lwawo olumise okwendingilizi lubhekwa kusuka ngaphakathi. uGalileo Galilei ungowokuqala ukuxazulula umthende wokukhanya ube izinkanyezi ngesihlongimkhathi sakhe ngowe-1610. Kuze kube seminyakeni ye-1920 iningi losozinkanyezi lalicabanga ukuthi umZilafasimbe uqukethe zonke izinkanyezi zomkhathilibe. Iziqapho ezenziwa ngu-Edwin Hubble, ezalandela impikiswano enkulu phakathi kwabachazimkhathi uHarlow Shapely noHerber Curtis, zaveza ukuthi umzilafasimbe ungumthalakazi owodwa kwiminye eminingi.