What do galaxies look like?
Astronomers categorize galaxies primarily by their shapes -- elliptical, spiral, and irregular. Each of these three broad categories is broken down into numerous detailed subcategories depending on particular features -- tightly wound spiral arms, loose spiral arms, brightness, roundness, size, and so on.
In general, elliptical galaxies are rounded, compact groups of stars, while spirals are named for their familiar and beautiful pinwheel arms that stretch out from their centers. Irregular galaxies, as you might guess, consist of those whose physical features are too distorted to definitely place as elliptical or spiral.
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