An estimated 2 trillion+ galaxies occupy the observable universe.How Many Galaxies Are There? Astronomers Are Revealing the Enormity of the Universe On the order of 100,000 galaxies make up the Local Supercluster, and about 51 galaxies are in the Local Group (see list of nearest galaxies for a complete list).
The first attempts at systematic catalogues of galaxies were made in the 1960s, with the Catalogue of Galaxies and Clusters of Galaxies listing 29,418 galaxies and galaxy clusters, and with the Morphological Catalogue of Galaxies, a putatively complete list of galaxies with photographic magnitude above 15, listing 30,642. In the 1980s, the Lyons Groups of Galaxies listed 485 galaxy groups with 3,933 member galaxies. Galaxy Zoo is a project aiming at a more comprehensive list: launched in July 2007, it has classified over one million galaxy images from The Sloan Digital Sky Survey, The Hubble Space Telescope and the Cosmic Assembly Near-Infrared Deep Extragalactic Legacy Survey. __TOC__
Named galaxies
This is a list of galaxies that are well known by something other than an entry in a catalog or list, or a set of coordinates, or a systematic designation.
ImageGalaxyConstellationOrigin of nameNotesAlcyoneusLynxA low-exitation, Fanaroff and Riley Class II radio galaxy, one of the largest discovered.Andromeda IAndromeda Andromeda I was named because the galaxy is in the constellation AndromedaAndromeda I is a dwarf spheroidal galaxy (dSph) about 2.40 million light-years away in the constellation Andromeda. Andromeda I is part of the local group of galaxies and a satellite galaxy of the Andromeda Galaxy (M31). It is roughly 3.5 degrees south and slightly east of M31. As of 2005, it is the closest known dSph companion to M31 at an estimated projected distance of ~40 kpc or ~150,000 light-years.Andromeda GalaxyAndromedaAndromeda, which is shortened from "Andromeda Galaxy", gets its name from the area of the sky in which it appears, the constellation of Andromeda.Andromeda is the closest big galaxy to the Milky Way and is expected to collide with the Milky Way around 4.5 billion years from now. The two will eventually merge into a single new galaxy called Milkdromeda According to simulations, this object would probably be a giant elliptical galaxy, but with a centre showing less stellar density than current elliptical galaxies.Ambartsumian's KnotUrsa MajorAppearance is similar to Ambartsumian's knot NGC 3561, also known as Arp 105, is a pair of interacting galaxies NGC 3561A and NGC 3561B within the galaxy cluster Abell 1185 in Ursa Major. It was discovered by British astronomer John Herschel on 30 March 1827. Its common name is "the Guitar" and contains a small tidal dwarf galaxy known as Ambartsumian's Knot that is believed to be the remnant of the extensive tidal tail pulled out of one of the galaxies.Antennae GalaxiesCorvusAppearance is similar to an insect's antennae.Two colliding galaxiesBackward GalaxyCentaurusIt appears to rotate backwards, as the tips of the spiral arms point in the direction of rotation.Barnard's GalaxyNamed after Edward Emerson Barnard.Bear Paw GalaxyLynxIt resembles the appearance of a bear's claw.Also known as "Bear Claw Galaxy."Black Eye GalaxyComa BerenicesIt has a spectacular dark band of absorbing dust in front of the galaxy's bright nucleus, giving rise to its nicknames of the "Black Eye" or "Evil Eye" galaxy.Also known as "Sleeping Beauty Galaxy."Blinking GalaxySerpensIts difficulty of viewing in a small telescope and tendency to go in and out of view.Bode's GalaxyUrsa MajorNamed for Johann Elert Bode who discovered this galaxy in 1774. Also known as Messier 81. The largest galaxy in the M81 Group. It harbors a supermassive black hole 70 million times the mass of the Sun.Butterfly GalaxiesVirgoLooks are similar to a butterfly.Cartwheel GalaxySculptorIts visual appearance is similar to that of a spoked cartwheel.The largest in the Cartwheel Galaxy group, made up of four spiral galaxiesCigar GalaxyUrsa MajorAppears similar in shape to a cigar.Also known as Messier 82 or M82Circinus GalaxyCircinusNamed after the constellation it is located in (Circinus).Cocoon GalaxyCanes VenaticiIts resemblance in shape to a cocoonComa Pinwheel GalaxyComa BerenicesNamed after its resemblance to the Pinwheel Galaxy and its location in the Coma Berenices constellation.Also known as Messier 99 or M99Comet GalaxySculptorThis galaxy is named after its unusual appearance, looking like a comet.The comet effect is caused by tidal stripping by its galaxy cluster, Abell 2667.Condor GalaxyPavoNamed after a condor, a type of vulture that is one of the largest flying birds.The largest known spiral galaxy, it has a diameter of over . It is tidally disturbed by the smaller lenticular galaxy IC 4970.SextansThe name of this galaxy is based on a Redshift (z) measurement of nearly 7 (actually, z = 6.604).Galaxy Cosmos Redshift 7 is reported to be the brightest of distant galaxies (z > 6) and to contain some of the earliest first stars (first generation; Population III) that produced the chemical elements needed for the later formation of planets and life as we know it.Dusty Hand GalaxyCamelopardalisNamed after the dust lanes and spiral arms of the galaxy.Dusty Spiral GalaxyComa BerenicesNamed after the dust lanes and spiral arms of the galaxy.Eye of GodEridanusNamed after its structural appearanceA prototype for multi-arm spiral galaxiesEye of SauronCanes VenaticiDue to its resemblance to the Eye of Sauron from The Lord of the Rings.Fireworks GalaxyCygnus and CepheusDue to its bright and spotty appearanceActive starburst galaxyFried Egg GalaxyPegasusDue to its similar appearance to a fried eggGodzilla GalaxyPerseusIts extremely large sizeGrasshopperLynxNamed after its appearance to a grasshopperTwo colliding galaxiesHamburger GalaxyLeoNamed after its resemblance to a Hamburger.Helix GalaxyUrsa MajorIts shape resembles a helixHidden GalaxyCamelopardalisThe difficulty in observing this object makes it 'hidden' though it can readily be detected even with binoculars.Hockey Stick GalaxiesCanes VenaticiIts elongated and curved appearance resembles a hockey stick.Also known as Crowbar GalaxyHoag's ObjectSerpens CaputThis is named after Art Hoag, who discovered this ring galaxy.It is of the subtype Hoag-type galaxy, and may in fact be a polar-ring galaxy with the ring in the plane of rotation of the central object.Knife Edge GalaxyDracoNamed after its thin shape, similar to knife's edge.Large Magellanic CloudDorado/MensaNamed after Ferdinand MagellanThis is the fourth-largest galaxy in the Local Group, and forms a pair with the SMC, and from recent research, may not be part of the Milky Way system of satellites at all.Lindsay-Shapley RingVolansNamed after its discoverer, Eric Lindsay, his professor Harlow Shapley, and its nature as a ring galaxy.The ring is the result of collision with another galaxyLittle Sombrero GalaxyPegasusNamed after its similarity to the Sombrero Galaxy.Malin 1Coma BerenicesDiscovered and named by David Malin.Meathook GalaxyVolansAfter its appearance resembling a meathook.Medusa MergerUrsa MajorEjected dust from the merging galaxies is said to look like the snakes that the Gorgon Medusa from Greek mythology had on her head.Sculptor Dwarf GalaxySculptorSimilar to the Sculpture GalaxiesAlso known as Sculptor Dwarf Elliptical Galaxy, Sculptor Dwarf Spheroidal Galaxy, and formerly as the Sculptor SystemMice GalaxiesComa BerenicesAppearance is similar to a mouse.Small Magellanic CloudTucanaNamed after Ferdinand MagellanThis forms a pair with the LMC, and from recent research, may not be part of the Milky Way system of satellites at all.Mayall's ObjectUrsa MajorThis is named after Nicholas Mayall, of the Lick Observatory, who discovered it.Also called VV 32 and Arp 148, this is a very peculiar looking object, and is likely to be not one galaxy, but two galaxies undergoing a collision. Event in images is a spindle shape and a ring shape.Milky WaySagittarius (centre)The appearance from Earth of the galaxy—a band of lightThe galaxy containing the Sun and its Solar System, and therefore Earth.Needle GalaxyComa BerenicesNamed due to its slender appearance.Also known as Caldwell 38Wolf-Lundmark-MelotteCetusNamed for the three astronomers instrumental in its discovery and identification.Paramecium GalaxyPegasusNamed after its appearance to the organism ParameciumIt is included in the Atlas of Peculiar Galaxies in the category galaxies with detached segments.Peekaboo GalaxyHydraGalaxy (aka HIPASS J1131-31) was hidden behind a relatively fast-moving foreground star (TYC 7215–199–1) and became observable when the star moved aside.Galaxy, relatively nearby, is considered one of the most metal-poor ("extremely metal-poor" (XMP)), least chemically enriched, and seemingly primordial, galaxies known.Pinwheel GalaxyUrsa MajorSimilar in appearance to a pinwheel.Also known as Messier 101 or M101.PorphyrionDracoPorpoise GalaxyHydraIts appearance resembles a porpoiseAlso known as the Penguin GalaxySculptor GalaxySculptorNamed after its location in the Sculptor Constellation. Also called the Silver Dollar or Silver Coin Galaxy, because of its light and circular appearance.Also known as the Silver Coin, Silver Dollar Galaxy or Caldwell 65Sculptor Pinwheel GalaxySculptorNamed after its resemblance to a pinwheel and its location in the Sculptor Constellation. Also known as NGC 300 and Caldwell 70.Skyrocket GalaxyUrsa MajorIts resemblance to a July 4th skyrocketSombrero GalaxyVirgoSimilar in appearance to a sombrero.Also known as Messier Object 104 or M104Southern Pinwheel GalaxyHydraNamed after its resemblance to the Pinwheel Galaxy and its location in the southern celestial hemisphere.Spider GalaxyBoötesNamed after its appearance of a spiderSpiderweb GalaxyHydraIts irregular shape and continuous structure resembles a spiderweb.Starfish GalaxyOphiuchusSimilar in appearance to a starfish.Merger of 3 galaxiesSunflower GalaxyCanes VenaticiSimilar in appearance to a sunflower.Surfboard GalaxyUrsa MajorSimilar in appearance to a surfboard. Also known as Messier 108 or M108.Tadpole GalaxyDracoThe name comes from the resemblance of the galaxy to a tadpole.This shape resulted from tidal interaction that drew out a long tidal tail.Topsy Turvy GalaxyReticulumThe disorganized and chaotic appearance makes it look topsy turvy.Trekkie GalaxyCaelumIts NGC number almost matches the serial number of the spaceship USS Enterprise from Star TrekTriangulum GalaxyTriangulumNamed after its location within the Triangulum constellation.UFO GalaxyLynxNamed after its resemblance to a UFO.Whale GalaxyCanes VenaticiNamed after its supposed resemblance to a whale.Whirlpool GalaxyCanes VenaticiFrom the whirlpool appearance this gravitationally disturbed galaxy exhibits.
Naked-eye galaxies This is a list of galaxies that are visible to the naked eye, for at the very least, keen-eyed observers in a very dark-sky environment that is high in altitude, during clear and stable weather.