massive astronomical compact halo object

A form of massive compact halo object — Any kind of astronomical body comprising normal baryonic matter that in sufficient numbers might explain the apparent presence of dark matter in galaxy halos.

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Meanings

nounmassive astronomical compact halo object (plural massive astronomical compact halo objects)

plural massive astronomical compact halo objects

  1. alternativeAlternative form of massive compact halo object.

Origin

A backformation from MACHO, where the "A" originally was the second letter in the word "massive", in "MAssive Compact Halo Object", to provide a separate word to fill in the "A" in the acronym, using "astronomical"

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Cite this entry
APA

massive astronomical compact halo object. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/massive%20astronomical%20compact%20halo%20object

MLA

“massive astronomical compact halo object.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/massive%20astronomical%20compact%20halo%20object. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “massive astronomical compact halo object,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/massive%20astronomical%20compact%20halo%20object.

Source: massive astronomical compact halo object on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.