barred spiral galaxy

American  

noun

Astronomy.

1. a spiral galaxy whose center has the form of an extended bar.

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barred spiral galaxy Scientific  

/ bärd /

1. A spiral galaxy with a barlike bulge in the center, extending between the core and the spiral arms. About a third of spiral galaxies have this straight bar of stars, gas, and dust extending out from the nucleus. As with other spiral galaxies, barred spiral galaxies rotate, and new stars form from the dust and gas in their arms. Astronomers believe that some elliptical galaxies containing hints of a bar and spiral might once have been barred spiral galaxies.

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Example Sentences

In essence, Ivanov said, "It's the highest redshift, spectroscopically confirmed, unlensed barred spiral galaxy."

From Science Daily • Feb. 27, 2026

J0107a is a barred spiral galaxy just like the Milky Way.

From Space Scoop • Jun. 5, 2025

J0107a is the earliest and most massive barred spiral galaxy known to date, making it the best target for studying the evolution of barred spiral galaxies in the early Universe.

From Space Scoop • Jun. 5, 2025

Galaxy NGC1300 is a barred spiral galaxy, meaning that it is shaped with a spiral but has a bar-like structure at its core composed of stars.

From Salon • Apr. 23, 2022

NGC 1300, shown here, is a barred spiral galaxy.

From Textbooks • Oct. 13, 2016