Galactic disc

The Sculptor Galaxy (NGC 253) is an example of a disc galaxy

A galactic disc (or galactic disk) is a component of disc galaxies, such as spiral galaxies like the Milky Way and lenticular galaxies. Galactic discs consist of a stellar component (composed of most of the galaxy's stars) and a gaseous component (mostly composed of cool gas and dust). The stellar population of galactic discs tend to exhibit very little random motion with most of its stars undergoing nearly circular orbits about the galactic center. Discs can be fairly thin because the disc material's motion lies predominantly on the plane of the disc (very little vertical motion). The Milky Way's disc, for example, is approximately 1 kly thick,[1] but thickness can vary for discs in other galaxies.

  1. ^ "Scale". Archived from the original on 2023-03-06. Retrieved 2021-11-30.