Final answer:
Prior to the 1920s, astronomers believed that galaxies were individual star systems, based on limited observations and the difficulty of distinguishing them from other celestial objects.
Step-by-step explanation:
Prior to the 1920s, many astronomers believed that galaxies were individual star systems. Due to the limitations of telescopes at the time, galaxies appeared as small fuzzy patches of light that were difficult to distinguish from star clusters and gas-and-dust clouds within our own Milky Way galaxy. These objects were collectively called nebulae, and their precise nature and shape were a subject of much debate.