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elliptical galaxy

   Also found in: Encyclopedia, Wikipedia, Hutchinson 0.03 sec.
elliptical galaxy  (-lpt-kl)
The most common type of galaxy, ranging in shape from nearly spherical (classified as E0) to greatly elongated (classified as E7). Elliptical galaxies vary greatly in size and include some of the largest and smallest known galaxies. They do not have spiral arms and have considerably less interstellar gas and dust than spiral galaxies, with little or no star formation taking place within them. Their stars follow individual elliptical orbits around the center of the galaxy. Long thought to be older galaxies which had used up all the material for star formation, it has also been suggested that elliptical galaxies actually form from collisions between spiral galaxies. Compare irregular galaxylenticular galaxyspiral galaxy See more at Hubble classification system.


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Hubble Space Telescope images have shown that NGC 1316, an elliptical galaxy lying 80 million light-years from Earth, has swallowed spiral galaxies, smashing together gas clouds and generating new massive stars.
Cosmic pops: nearby galaxy is hotbed of supernova formation by Cowen R. / Science News
Krupp pointed to M87, a fuzzy elliptical galaxy 50 million light years from Earth with a telltale black hole.
HEAVENS ON EARTH FOUR YEARS AND $93 MILLION LATER, A REVAMPED, BEEFED ... by Daily News (Los Angeles, CA)
Several billion years from now, scientists predict, the galaxy and the Milky Way will collide to become a single, giant, elliptical galaxy.
Assault on Andromeda: nearby galaxy had recent collision by Cowen, R. / Science News
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