Types of Galaxies in Space - Spiral, Elliptical, Irregular plus more

Learn the Sky・11 minutes read

The Hubble Extreme Deep Field photo captures thousands of galaxies over 13 billion years old, with spiral and elliptical galaxies being the main types observed, each with unique characteristics and examples like the Needle galaxy and IC 2006. Interacting galaxies like the Mice galaxies and the Whirlpool galaxy are influenced by gravitational pull, potentially merging and triggering higher star formation rates.

Insights

  • The Hubble Extreme Deep Field photo reveals over 5,500 galaxies, some dating back over 13 billion years, captured in a small section of the sky after over 2 million seconds of exposure time.
  • Galaxies come in various shapes such as spirals, ellipticals, and irregulars, each with unique characteristics like spiral arms, spheroidal structures, or asymmetry, showcasing a diverse cosmic landscape with different star formations and structures.

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Recent questions

  • What is the Hubble Extreme Deep Field photo?

    A picture capturing thousands of galaxies over 13 billion years old.

  • What are the main types of galaxies?

    Spirals and ellipticals classified by shape and structure.

  • What are examples of spiral galaxies?

    Needle galaxy and Messier 51 showcasing spiral arms.

  • What are characteristics of elliptical galaxies?

    Spheroidal shape, older stars, lack new star formation.

  • What are dwarf galaxies?

    Contain between 1 million to a billion stars.

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Summary

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"Galaxies: Shapes, Types, and Unique Characteristics"

  • The Hubble Extreme Deep Field photo captures over 5,500 galaxies, some estimated to be over 13 billion years old, taken over a small patch of sky with over 2 million seconds of exposure time.
  • Galaxies are systems of millions or billions of stars classified by shape, with spirals and ellipticals being the main types observed.
  • Spiral galaxies consist of a bulge, disc, and halo, with variations like normal spirals and barred spirals based on their structure.
  • Examples of spiral galaxies include the Needle galaxy and Messier 51, showcasing their spiral arms and structures.
  • Elliptical galaxies are spheroidal in shape, composed of older stars, and lack new star formation, with examples like IC 2006 and M87.
  • Irregular galaxies have no specific shape or symmetry, often small with younger stars, like the small magellanic cloud and the large was once classified as a regular galaxy.
  • Dwarf galaxies contain between 1 million to a billion stars, with examples like DDO 68 and the phoenix dwarf galaxy.
  • Unique galaxies like ring galaxies, starburst galaxies, and lenticular galaxies exhibit distinct characteristics in star formation rates and shapes.
  • Ultra diffuse galaxies are low luminosity, varying in dark matter content, with examples like Dragonfly 44 being 99% dark matter.
  • Interacting galaxies are influenced by gravitational pull, potentially merging and triggering higher star formation rates, with examples like the Mice galaxies and the Whirlpool galaxy.
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