
Galaxy - Wikipedia
A 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 …
Galaxy | Definition, Formation, Types, Properties, & Facts | Britannica
Nov 27, 2025 · A galaxy is 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 …
Galaxies - NASA Science
May 2, 2025 · Galaxies 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 …
What is a Galaxy? - sciencenewstoday.org
Mar 19, 2025 · The Basics: What Is a Galaxy, Really? At its core, a galaxy is a massive, gravitationally bound system consisting of stars, stellar remnants, interstellar gas, dust, and …
Galaxies—facts and information | National Geographic
Galaxies are sprawling systems of dust, gas, dark matter, and anywhere from a million to a trillion stars that are held together by gravity. Nearly all large galaxies are thought to also contain...
What is a galaxy? - BBC Sky at Night Magazine
Jan 18, 2024 · A galaxy is a concentration of millions or billions of stars, gas clouds and pockets of dust, all bound by gravity and swathed in a cocoon of mysterious dark matter.
What Is a Galaxy? | NASA Space Place – NASA Science for Kids
Sep 25, 2025 · What Is a Galaxy? The Short Answer: 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 …
Galaxy - Elliptical, Spiral, Irregular | Britannica
Nov 27, 2025 · Learn about the three general types of galaxies: spiral, elliptical, and irregular. Almost all current systems of galaxy classification are outgrowths of the initial scheme …
Galaxies | Latest Developments in Galaxy Formation and Evolution
With more than 100 billion galaxies in the observable universe, the exciting discoveries and unanswered questions are endless. Each one is unique, from ellipticals that have quenched …
What Is a Galaxy? - Scientific American
May 9, 2025 · In modern times, though, we use “galaxy” more generically to refer to any large system of stars, gas, dust and dark matter, all held together by their mutual gravity.