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What’s a galaxy? All you need to know
- A galaxy is a vast island of gas, dust, and stars in space, with millions of light-years between them, forming a cosmic web of star cities.
- Galaxies can contain hundreds of billions of stars, with types including spiral, elliptical, and irregular, varying greatly in size.
- There are about two hundred billion galaxies in the universe, each unique in its structure and content.
- Galaxies were discovered beyond our own Milky Way by astronomer Edwin P. Hubble in the 1920s, revealing a vast universe.
- Most galaxies are millions of light-years away, with their movements indicating the expanding nature of the universe.
- Spiral galaxies like the Milky Way are common and feature bright spiral arms rich in stars and gas.
- Elliptical galaxies are the largest in the universe, while irregular galaxies have diverse shapes and features.
- Galaxies often merge and form new structures over immense timescales, influenced by gravitational forces.
- Supermassive black holes are found at the centers of many galaxies, affecting their evolution and star formation processes.
- Understanding galaxies and their formations is an ongoing area of research, revealing the complexity and beauty of the universe.
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