protogalaxy
/ˌproʊtəˈɡæləksi/
noun
- A large cloud of gas and dust in the early universe that later collapses to form a galaxy.
- A protogalaxy contains mostly hydrogen and helium before stars begin to form.
- The telescope captured an image of a distant protogalaxy from billions of years ago.
- Astronomers study protogalaxies to understand how the Milky Way formed.