hypergalaxy

English

Alternative forms

• hyper-galaxy

Etymology

hyper- +‎ galaxy

Noun

hypergalaxy (plural hypergalaxies)

1. (astronomy, rare) A system that consists of an enormous galaxy accompanied by multiple, smaller satellite galaxies, often elliptical, such as the Milky Way and Andromeda galaxy.
   • 1965, Kirill Fedorovich Ogorodnikov, Dynamics of Stellar Systems‎^[1], Pergamon Press, page 91:

     This system we call the Hypergalaxy or second-order Galaxy.

   • 1978, J. Einasto, The Large Scale Structure of the Universe; Proceedings of the Symposium, Tallin, Estonian SSR, September 12-16, 1977‎^[2], page 51:

     The term hypergalaxies is applied to galaxies plus their massive coronas and all objects moving in the coronas.

   • 1987, L. E. Gurevich, A. D. Chernin, The Magic of Galaxies and Stars‎^[3], Mir Publishers Moscow, page 175:

     A typical hypergalaxy is approximately three to five times more massive than its central galaxy.