Meaning: This sentence creates a breathtaking vision of the Milky Way as a celestial river, filled with countless stars, stretching across the expanse of the night sky.
Choice of Words: The Milky Way is a band of stars that appears as a luminous streak in the night sky. The comparison to a "shimmering river of stars" emphasizes its beauty and vastness. The verb "stretches" suggests the immense length and grandeur of the Milky Way.