Elliptical galaxy

High school (ages 12+)
Space & Astronomy

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/elliptical-galaxy

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the classification?Hubble sequence E0-E7, denoting spherical to highly flattened ellipsoidal shapes
2. What is the dominant stellar population?Older, low-mass, red-sequence stars with random orbital kinematics
3. Why do elliptical galaxies look round and smooth?The stars inside move in random orbits instead of spinning in a flat disk, so the galaxy looks smooth and round. It also has little gas or dust to make bright, colorful features.
4. How do elliptical galaxies form?They usually form when two spiral galaxies collide and merge. The collision mixes the stars, uses up or throws away the gas, and creates a big, round galaxy with mostly old stars.

Morphology: The study of the form and structure of galaxies, including their shape and appearance.
Stellar Population: A group of stars within a galaxy that formed at roughly the same time and have similar chemical compositions.
Interstellar Gas and Dust: The material between stars, crucial for the formation of new stars and planetary systems.
Galaxy Cluster: A gravitationally bound collection of hundreds to thousands of galaxies.