Differences Between Spiral And Elliptical Galaxies?

Galaxies come in different shapes, some are spiral, and others are elliptical.

Imagine you're playing with a toy car on two different tracks. On one track, the road winds around like a spiral staircase, that's what a spiral galaxy looks like. It has long, swirling arms that twist out from the center, kind of like a pinwheel. These galaxies are full of bright stars and sometimes have lots of gas and dust, which helps new stars form.

Now imagine another track, it’s more like a smooth oval path with no sharp turns. That's an elliptical galaxy. It looks more like a squashed circle or a football. These galaxies don’t have the swirling arms, and they usually have older stars that are not as bright.

• Spiral galaxies often look lively and full of activity, like a busy playground.
• Elliptical galaxies feel more calm and quiet, like a peaceful park on Sunday morning. Galaxies come in different shapes, some are spiral, and others are elliptical.

Imagine you're playing with a toy car on two different tracks. On one track, the road winds around like a spiral staircase, that's what a spiral galaxy looks like. It has long, swirling arms that twist out from the center, kind of like a pinwheel. These galaxies are full of bright stars and sometimes have lots of gas and dust, which helps new stars form.

Now imagine another track, it’s more like a smooth oval path with no sharp turns. That's an elliptical galaxy. It looks more like a squashed circle or a football. These galaxies don’t have the swirling arms, and they usually have older stars that are not as bright.