Do elliptical galaxies look similar to globular clusters?

Question

If we got close enough to an elliptical galaxy would it look similar to a globular cluster?

Answer 1

Your question is not very well defined since you don't say what observational properties you wish to compare. From your emphasis on distance, I assume that you want to compare the visual appearance of elliptical galaxies with globular clusters of the same angular extent on the sky.

In which case ellipticals and globulars are easily distinguishable with the aid of a telescope (I assume you do not mean naked eye objects, since the nature of globular clusters is pretty difficult to make out with the naked eye, but if you do mean that then of course most smudges on the sky are indistinguishable with the naked eye). The reason for this is that true elliptical galaxies contain factors of $\sim 10^4$ more stars than even the most massive globular clusters and are about 100 times the physical diameter. Thus, if they had the same angular extent, an elliptical galaxy be $\sim 100$ times further away, would look much smoother and less grainy than a globular cluster, because it contains $10^4$ times more stars per unit area, but would have around the same surface brightness.

Of course there are such things as dwarf spheroidal galaxies, but here the problem is the other way around. They have about the same number of stars as globular clusters, but have diameters a factor of 100 larger. Thus if they had the same angular extent they would look similar to a globular cluster in terms of "graininess", but since they would be 100 times further away, they would be $10^4$ times fainter!

Answer 2

It would look as shown below. And yes it would resemble a globular cluster except the stars move differently. Elliptical galaxies have an approximately ellipsoidal shape. Globular clusters are often associated with galaxies. The Milkey Way contains over 150 identified globular clusters. Shown below are globular clusters.