Galaxy

A galaxy is a system of stars, stellar remnants, interstellar gas, dust, and dark matter bound together by gravity. The word is derived from the Greek galaxias (γαλαξίας), literally 'milky', a reference to the Milky Way galaxy that contains the Solar System. Galaxies, averaging an estimated 100 million stars, range in size from dwarfs with less than a thousand stars, to the largest galaxies known – supergiants with one hundred trillion stars, each orbiting its galaxy's centre of mass. Most of the mass in a typical galaxy is in the form of dark matter, with only a few percent of that mass visible in the form of stars and nebulae. Supermassive black holes are a common feature at the centres of galaxies. Galaxies are categorised according to their visual morphology as elliptical, spiral, or irregular. The Milky Way is an example of a spiral galaxy. In addition to shape, galaxies may be notable due to special properties, such as interacting with another galaxy, producing stars at an unusual rate, or having an active galactic nucleus. It is estimated that there are between 200 billion (2×1011) and 2 trillion galaxies in the observable universe. Most galaxies are 1,000 to 100,000 parsecs in diameter (approximately 3,000 to 300,000 light years) and are separated by distances in the order of millions of parsecs (or megaparsecs). For comparison, the Milky Way has a diameter of at least 26,800 parsecs (87,400 ly) and is separated from the Andromeda Galaxy, its nearest large neighbour, by just over 750,000 parsecs (2.5 million ly). Most galaxies are gravitationally organised into groups, clusters and superclusters. The Milky Way is part of the Local Group, which it dominates along with the Andromeda Galaxy. The group is part of the Virgo Supercluster. At the largest scale, these associations are generally arranged into sheets and filaments surrounded by immense voids. While there are good models describing the formation of stars from gravitational condensation of dense clouds of gas, galaxy formation is less well understood. The process operates on the scale of a billion years. Galaxies occasionally collide during their lifetime.

All Year Long - 2024-12-15T00:00:00.000000Z

R78 (Extended Mixes) - 2021-06-08T00:00:00.000000Z

'Scoe With The Flow: Side B - 2021-04-11T00:00:00.000000Z

Alienated - 2019-08-15T00:00:00.000000Z

T-Staples Tape - 2015-11-20T00:00:00.000000Z

The Greatest Hits - 2008-11-28T00:00:00.000000Z

All the Hits - 2005-07-22T00:00:00.000000Z

Fam (November 28th) - 2024-11-28T00:00:00.000000Z

Cypher '22 - 2022-03-04T00:00:00.000000Z

Buzzin - 2021-08-31T00:00:00.000000Z

LIL BISHOP II - 2021-07-15T00:00:00.000000Z

Rewind - 2021-05-25T00:00:00.000000Z

'Side B 3 Single Pack - 2021-04-08T00:00:00.000000Z

Heartbreak - 2020-08-07T00:00:00.000000Z

Kylie Jenner - 2020-05-20T00:00:00.000000Z

Feeling - 2015-04-21T00:00:00.000000Z

Not Gon' Stop - 2014-05-16T00:00:00.000000Z

Opera - 2011-11-30T00:00:00.000000Z

Dance in Middle East - 2011-11-02T00:00:00.000000Z

To The Sky - 2011-05-12T00:00:00.000000Z

Feel So High - 2011-04-21T00:00:00.000000Z

Supernatural - 2011-03-03T00:00:00.000000Z

Blade Runners - 2010-12-16T00:00:00.000000Z

Paradise Road - 2010-10-21T00:00:00.000000Z

Rain - 2010-09-15T00:00:00.000000Z

Similar Artists

Steve Arrington

The B. B. & Q. Band

Melba Moore

Billy Griffin

Phil Fearon

Booker Newberry III

Sharon Redd

Narada Michael Walden

Jaki Graham

Odyssey

Kenny Thomas

The Pasadenas

David Grant

Carrie Lucas

Gwen Guthrie

Forrest

Shalamar

Terri Wells

Change

Sybil