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How Galaxies Were Formed
Some scientists believe small clusters of about 1 million stars, known as globular clusters, formed first and later became galaxies. Others believe galaxies formed first and stars inside them formed later.
Spiral Galaxies
Earth is located in a spiral galaxy called the Milky Way. Spiral galaxies are a flat disk with a bulging center and spiral arms. They're made up of stars, planets, dust and gas that rotate around the center.
Elliptical Galaxies
Elliptical galaxies are the universe's largest known and are generally round, but they stretch longer along one axis than the other. Elliptical galaxies are often made up of up to 1 trillion older stars without as much dust and other interstellar matter.
Irregular Galaxies
Some galaxies aren't spiral or elliptical. These are called irregular galaxies because they look misshapen and lack a distinct form.
Galactic Mergers
Sometimes galaxies form as one single galaxy, but other times, they form as part of a pair of galaxies. Most of the time, galaxies are part of a group known as clusters or super-clusters. Galaxies in these groups often merge together. When mergers happen, the gases flow toward the center of the galaxy and frequently make stars form very rapidly.