Myth vs Reality: What Makes Up Galaxies

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 This short video addresses the misconception that galaxies are only made up of stars.

Galaxy Structure
 
 
Produced by the Space Telescope Science Institute’s Office of Public Outreach.
 
All images, illustrations, and videos courtesy of NASA, ESA, and STScI except:
 
·       NGC 6822 image courtesy of the Local Group Galaxies Survey Team/NOAO/AURA/NSF
·       Taurus constellation drawing from Firmamentum Sobiescianum sive Uranographia by Johannes Hevelius, courtesy of the United States Naval Observatory
·       NGC 4565 image courtesy of the European Southern Observatory
·       Small Magellanic Cloud image courtesy of F. Winkler/Middlebury College, the MCELS Team, and NOAO/AURA/NSF
 
Written by Vanessa Thomas
Designed by John Godfrey 
Music courtesy of Association Production Music

(SPEECH)
[ELECTRONIC MUSIC]
 
(DESCRIPTION)
Top left, a black and white picture of a minotaur. Top right, a color picture of space.
 
Text, MYTH versus REALITY
 
Myth side. Text, Galaxies are made only of stars.
 
Reality side. Text, Galaxies contain not just stars, but also planets, moons, and other rocky and icy bodies. Many galaxies also contain dust, great clouds of gas, and dark matter – matter that does not produce light.