Galactic halo
The galactic halo is an extended, roughly spherical component of a galaxy which extends beyond the main, visible component. Several distinct components of galaxies comprise the halo:
- the galactic spheroid (stars)
- the galactic corona (hot gas, i.e. a plasma)
- the dark matter halo
The distinction between the halo and the main body of the galaxy is clearest in spiral galaxies, where the spherical shape of the halo contrasts with the flat disc. In an elliptical galaxy, there is no sharp transition between the body of the galaxy and the halo.
See also
References
- Ostriker, J. P. and Thorsten, N. (2012)
- Schwarzschild, Bertram M. (2013)
- Schwarzschild, Bertram M. (2012)
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