Galaxy - Wikipedia
WEBA galaxy is a system of stars, stellar remnants, interstellar gas, dust, and dark matter bound together by gravity. [1][2] The word is derived from the Greek galaxias (γαλαξίας), literally 'milky', a reference to the Milky Way galaxy that contains the Solar System.
Galaxies - NASA Science
WEBGalaxies consist of stars, planets, and vast clouds of gas and dust, all bound together by gravity. The largest contain trillions of stars and can be more than a million light-years across. The smallest can contain a few thousand stars and span just a …
What Is a Galaxy? | NASA Space Place – NASA Science for Kids
WEB5 days ago · A galaxy is a huge collection of gas, dust, and billions of stars and their solar systems, all held together by gravity. We live on a planet called Earth that is part of our solar system. But where is our solar system? It’s a small part of the Milky Way Galaxy.
Galaxy | Definition, Formation, Types, Properties, & Facts
WEB2 days ago · galaxy, any of the systems of stars and interstellar matter that make up the universe. Many such assemblages are so enormous that they contain hundreds of billions of stars. Nature has provided an immensely varied array of galaxies, ranging from faint, diffuse dwarf objects to brilliant spiral-shaped giants.
Milky Way Galaxy | Size, Definition, & Facts | Britannica
WEBSep 14, 2024 · Milky Way Galaxy (sometimes simply called the Galaxy), large spiral system of about several hundred billion stars, one of which is the Sun. It takes its name from the Milky Way, the irregular luminous band of stars and gas clouds that stretches across the sky as seen from Earth.
Size, composition, and structure of galaxies | Britannica
WEBgalaxy, Any of the billions of systems of star s and interstellar matter that make up the universe. Galaxies vary considerably in size, composition, structure, and activity, but nearly all are arranged in groups, or clusters, containing from a few galaxies to as many as 10,000.
NASA’s Webb Peers into the Extreme Outer Galaxy
WEBSep 12, 2024 · Astronomers have directed NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope to examine the outskirts of our Milky Way galaxy. Scientists call this region the Extreme Outer Galaxy due to its location more than 58,000 light-years away from the Galactic Center.
The Milky Way: Understanding Our Place in the Galaxy
WEBNov 1, 2023 · It is a vast galaxy, a large system that includes stars, gas (predominantly hydrogen), dust and dark matter, all bound together by gravity. As we navigate through the cosmos, an intriguing enigma emerges: What is the Milky Way truly like?
Galaxies - HubbleSite
WEBJan 31, 2024 · Galaxies are vast cosmic islands of stars, gas, dust, and dark matter held together by gravity. Hubble’s keen eye has revealed intricate details of the shapes, structures, and histories of galaxies — whether alone, as part of small groups, or within immense clusters.
What’s a galaxy? All you need to know - EarthSky
WEBMay 21, 2024 · A galaxy is a vast island of gas, dust and stars in an ocean of space. Typically, galaxies are millions of light-years apart. Galaxies are the building blocks of our universe.