dwarf galaxy
Small stellar system
A dwarf galaxy is a small galaxy containing only a few billion stars—far fewer than major galaxies like the Milky Way, which contains hundreds of billions.
Dwarf galaxies are the most common type of galaxy in the universe and often orbit larger galaxies as satellites: The Milky Way has dozens of dwarf galaxy companions.
Nearby dwarf galaxies visible south
- spheroidalApproximately sphere-shaped
- ellipticalOval-shaped or indirect
- irregularDeviating from normal patterns
- haloLuminous ring overhead
star cluster · dark matter · cosmology · Andromeda · Milky Way · Hubble · redshift · intergalactic
Weak and indistinct
Existing from the start
- relicPreserved ancient object
- fossilPreserved ancient organism
- pristinePure and untouched
- building blocksBasic units for construction
One who keeps company
- orbitCurved celestial path
- tidal forcesDifferential gravitational pull across bodies
- gravitational pullAttractive force between masses
- accretionGrowth through external addition
streamers · disruption · bound · captured · infalling · trailing
Tightly packed together
- diminutiveVery small, or nickname form
- tinyExtremely small in size
- miniatureReduced-scale representation
- undersizedSmaller than standard
Magellanic Clouds
Nearby dwarf galaxies visible south
- spheroidalApproximately sphere-shaped
- ellipticalOval-shaped or indirect
- irregularDeviating from normal patterns
halo · star cluster · dark matter · cosmology · Andromeda · Milky Way · Hubble · redshift · intergalactic · luminosity
faint
Weak and indistinct
ghostly · wispy · scattered · thin · subtle · elusive · inconspicuous
primordial
Existing from the start
companion
One who keeps company
- orbitCurved celestial path
- tidal forcesDifferential gravitational pull across bodies
- gravitational pullAttractive force between masses
accretion · streamers · disruption · bound · captured · infalling · trailing
compact
Tightly packed together
- diminutiveVery small, or nickname form
- tinyExtremely small in size
- miniatureReduced-scale representation
undersized · minor · lesser · small-scale · modest · little · limited