Galaxies are vast, gravitationally-bound systems of stars, gas, dust, and dark matter that make up the visible structure of the universe. They come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, ranging from small, irregularly shaped dwarf galaxies to massive, spiral or elliptical galaxies that can contain hundreds of billions of stars.
Galaxies are the basic building blocks of the universe and are thought to have formed early in its history through the process of gravitational collapse from small perturbations in the density of matter. Over time, galaxies grow through the accretion of gas and dust, and through mergers with other galaxies.
The stars in galaxies are not uniformly distributed, but instead are organized into various structures such as arms, bars, or bulges, depending on the shape of the galaxy. These structures are influenced by the gravitational interactions between the stars and the gas and dust in the galaxy.
Caldwell 12 – Firework Galaxy
Markarian’s Chain
Messier 101 – Pinwheel Galaxy
Messier 31 – Andromeda Galaxy
Messier 33 – Triangulum Galaxy
Messier 81 – Bode’s Galaxy
Messier 82 – Cigar Galaxy
NGC 3077
