Properties of normal galaxies: approximately Table 18.1 of Zeilik.
We would require M/L=700 to produce enough gravity to halt cosmic expansion.
| spiral | irregular | elliptical | |
| diameter (light years) | 105 | 104 | 105 to 106 |
| luminosity (Lsun) | 1010 | 109 | 1011 |
| mass (Msun) | 1011 | 109 | 1012 to 1013 |
| mass/light (Msun/Lsun) | 10 | 1 | 10 - 100 |
| color | blue disk, red bulge | blue | red |
| most light from | young blue stars | young blue stars | red giants |
| cool gas, can make stars | 5% to 10% of stars | up to 100% of stars | tiny |
| hot gas, above 106K | tiny | tiny | up to 20% of stars |
| spin | fast | slow | slow/none |
| central density | medium | low | high |
from 'The Realm of the Nebulae', Yale, 1936.
Real galaxies illustrating Hubble's scheme:
Distribution of galaxies in space, from their redshifts.
Notice how the denser regions form a 'cosmic web'.
Galaxies appear to thin out at larger distances;
but this is an illusion, and happens simply because we cannot see
the fainter ones.