A Brief Guide to How a Galaxy Is Made Up

What is a galaxy? A galaxy is a collection of dust, gas, and potentially billions of other stars and their respective solar systems. The Milky Way galaxy, which is located within our own Milky Way galaxy, is the most popular of all. A galaxy holds together by gravity; however, it is possible for gas to escape from a galaxy.

In comparison to other parts of the Solar System, our galaxy holds together very well. Even though there are many collisions and other hazards within our solar system, astronomers have not detected any signs of intelligent life. However, astronomers believe that open clusters, or globular star clusters, are a place where many microbial life-forms dwell. Astronomers have even detected alien microbes orbiting around white holes in space. Open clusters can be located in both spiral and open-loops formations.

If astronomers were able to map the distribution of gas within a galaxy, they would be better able to study what is causing stars to form and if aliens may be living on other planets nearby. If astronomers could map the distribution of gas in a galaxy as well, they might even be able to map out the distribution of the dark matter that makes up about 60% of the total mass of the galaxy. The dark matter, called “intrusion” gas, makes up about half of the total mass of the galaxy.