Dwarf spheroidal galaxy
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Dwarf spheroidal galaxy (dSph) is a term in astronomy applied to the nine low luminosity dwarf elliptical galaxies that are companions to the Milky Way and to the similar systems that are companions to the Andromeda Galaxy M31.
Recently, as growing evidence has indicated that the vast majority of dwarf ellipticals have properties that are not at all similar to elliptical galaxies, but are closer to irregular and late-type spiral galaxies, this term has been used to refer to all of the galaxies that share the properties of those above.
According to the best evidence, these are the most common type of galaxies in the universe (although they may not dominate its luminosity).
[edit] See also
- Active galaxy
- Barred spiral galaxy
- Dwarf galaxy
- Dwarf elliptical galaxy
- Elliptical galaxy
- Galaxy morphological classification
- Galaxy formation and evolution
- Groups and clusters of galaxies
- Irregular galaxy
- Lenticular galaxy
- List of galaxies
- List of nearest galaxies
- Ring galaxy
- Spiral galaxy
- Starburst galaxy
- Seyfert galaxy
- Timeline of galaxies, clusters of galaxies, and large scale structure