Copyright © 2011. Spiral galaxy definition is - a galaxy exhibiting a central nucleus or barred structure from which extend curved arms of higher luminosity —called also spiral nebula. 'Nip it in the butt' or 'Nip it in the bud'. More from Merriam-Webster on spiral galaxy, Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about spiral galaxy. Delivered to your inbox! Our Milky Way galaxy is a barred spiral galaxy , which means it has a bright line going through its center. [ spī ′rəl ] A galaxy consisting of a rotating flattened disk with an ellipsoidal central bulge from which extend a pattern of two or more luminous spiral arms. A galaxy with poorly defined arms is sometimes referred to as a flocculent spiral galaxy; in contrast to the grand design spiral galaxy that has prominent and well-defined spiral arms. In a, A galaxy consisting of a rotating flattened disk with an ellipsoidal central bulge from which extend a pattern of two or more luminous spiral arms. To cook in water that begins cold and then reaches a boil. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Describe 2020 In Just One Word? Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020, Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition Spiral galaxies have a central bulge of primarily older stars from which spiral arms containing younger stars extend outwards and a nearly imperceptible spherical halo surrounding the entire galaxy. The Popular Story About Black Friday’s Name Is A Myth, American Presidents Helped These Words Join Our Everyday Vocabulary. The table below shows the abbreviations that are used for spiral galaxy … Dictionary.com Unabridged Learn a new word every day. A spherical, relatively dust-free region known as a, ♦ A spiral galaxy whose central bulge has the shape of a bar from whose ends the spiral arms emanate is called a. Spiral galaxies are twisted collections of stars and gas that often have beautiful shapes and are made up of hot young stars. Very little star formation goes on in the bulge. These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'spiral galaxy.' Spiral galaxy definition: a galaxy consisting of an ellipsoidal nucleus of old stars from opposite sides of which... | Meaning, pronunciation, translations and examples In a barred spiral, the arms originate at the ends of a bar-shaped nucleus. “Epidemic” vs. “Pandemic” vs. “Endemic”: What Do These Terms Mean? To cook in water, just below boiling temperature. (Astronomy) a galaxy consisting of an ellipsoidal nucleus of old stars from opposite sides of which arms, containing younger stars, spiral outwards around the nucleus. The arms of a spiral galaxy have lots of gas and dust, and they are often areas where new stars are constantly forming. A spiral galaxy is a galaxy that is shaped like a spiral, with a bulge in the center. Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way. Build a city of skyscrapers—one synonym at a time. a galaxy consisting of an ellipsoidal nucleus of old stars from opposite sides of which arms, containing younger stars, spiral outwards around the nucleus. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins The bulge of a spiral galaxy is composed primarily of old, red stars. Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free! Send us feedback. The speed in which a galaxy rotates is thought to correlate with the flatness of the disc as some spiral galaxies have thick bulges, while others are thin and dense. What Is The Difference Between “It’s” And “Its”? All rights reserved. spiral galaxy. When artists draw galaxies, spirals are what they first visualize. Elliptical galaxy definition is - a galaxy that has a generally elliptical shape and that has no apparent internal structure or spiral arms —called also elliptical. “Affect” vs. “Effect”: Use The Correct Word Every Time, 7 Tips For Compiling And Creating Writing Samples That Stand Out. Even if you can't be a professional chef, you can at least talk like one with this vocabulary quiz. This is likely due to the fact that the Milky Way is a spiral; as is the neighboring Andromeda Galaxy. Accessed 29 Nov. 2020. In a barred spiral the arms originate at the ends of a bar-shaped nucleus According to the space agency, IC 2051 is a, Forty years later, astronomers Vera Rubin and Kent Ford found more evidence of dark matter by studying the motion of stars within, Two merging galaxies, collectively known as M51, or the Whirlpool, show the beautiful arms characteristic of, Post the Definition of spiral galaxy to Facebook, Share the Definition of spiral galaxy on Twitter. In a spiral galaxy, the stars, gas and dust are gathered in spiral arms that spread outward from the galaxy's center. The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Sa galaxies have very tightly wound arms around a larger central nucleus. What made you want to look up spiral galaxy? spiral galaxy n a galaxy consisting of an ellipsoidal nucleus of old stars from opposite sides of which arms, containing younger stars, spiral outwards around the nucleus. Milky Way Galaxy (sometimes simply called the Galaxy), large spiral system of about several hundred billion stars, one of which is the Sun. Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012. Why Do “Left” And “Right” Mean Liberal And Conservative? It takes its name from the Milky Way, the irregular luminous band of stars and gas clouds that stretches across the sky as seen from Earth. Barred spiral galaxy definition, a spiral galaxy whose center has the form of an extended bar. 'All Intensive Purposes' or 'All Intents and Purposes'? You may have read the word "simmer" in a recipe or two, but what does it really mean? Spiral galaxys are divided into three main types depending on how tightly wound their spiral arms are: Sa, Sb and Sc. Spiral galaxies range from large … See more. Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words? “Spiral galaxy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spiral%20galaxy. spiral galaxy. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Examples of how to use “spiral galaxy” in a sentence from the Cambridge Dictionary Labs The majority of the mass of a spiral galaxy is contained in its bulge, made up mostly of old stars, while the arms are composed mostly of younger stars and large amounts of interstellar gas and dust. Their shapes are the result of long galactic evolution activities that astronomers are still working to understand. A spiral galaxy consists of a bulge of stars at the centre with a vast disc of stars orbiting around the central group. Spiral galaxies are among the most beautiful and plentiful galaxy types in the cosmos. Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible). Spiral galaxies range from large bulges with tightly wound arms (classified as Sa) to small bulges with loosely wound arms (classified as Sc and in some cases Sd). We Asked, You Answered. Most of the galaxies that scientists have discovered so …