List of Spiral Galaxies
Galaxy |
Constellation |
Origin of Name |
Discovery |
Appearance |
Facts |
Milky Way Galaxy |
Sagittarius |
– |
Ancient times |
Spiral barred galaxy |
Contains the Solar System; diameter: 100,000 light-years |
Andromeda Galaxy (M31) |
Andromeda |
Mythical princess Andromeda |
964 CE by Persian astronomer Abd al-Rahman al-Sufi |
Spiral galaxy with a bright core |
Closest spiral galaxy to the Milky Way; distance: 2.537 million light-years |
Whirlpool Galaxy (M51) |
Canes Venatici |
Resembles a whirlpool |
1773 by Charles Messier |
Grand-design spiral galaxy |
Interacting with smaller galaxy NGC 5195; distance: 23 million light-years |
Pinwheel Galaxy (M101) |
Ursa Major |
Resembles a pinwheel |
1781 by Pierre Méchain |
Face-on spiral galaxy with loosely wound arms |
Contains many H II regions; distance: 21 million light-years |
Triangulum Galaxy (M33) |
Triangulum |
Located in constellation |
1654 by Italian astronomer Giovanni Battista Hodierna |
Spiral galaxy with a small core and faint arms |
Third-largest galaxy in Local Group; distance: 2.73 million light-years |
List of Ring Galaxies
Galaxy |
Constellation |
Origin of Name |
Discovery |
Appearance |
Facts |
Cartwheel Galaxy |
Sculptor |
Resembles a cartwheel |
1941 by Fritz Zwicky |
Distinct ring structure surrounding a central core |
Result of a galactic collision |
Hoag’s Object |
Serpens |
Named after Arthur Hoag |
1950 by Arthur Hoag |
Circular ring of stars with an empty center |
Unusual ring galaxy with a central nucleus |
List of Polar-Ring Galaxies
Galaxy |
Constellation |
Origin of Name |
Discovery |
Appearance |
Facts |
Cartwheel Galaxy |
Sculptor |
Resembles a cartwheel |
1941 by Fritz Zwicky |
Distinct ring structure surrounding a central core |
Result of a galactic collision |
Hoag’s Object |
Serpens |
Named after Arthur Hoag |
1950 by Arthur Hoag |
Circular ring of stars with an empty center |
Unusual ring galaxy with a central nucleus |
List of Quasars
Quasar |
Constellation |
Origin of Name |
Discovery |
Appearance |
Facts |
3C 273 |
Virgo |
3rd Cambridge Catalog of Radio Sources (3C) |
1963 by Maarten Schmidt |
Bright and distant point-like source of radio waves |
First quasar ever identified |
PKS 2322-123 |
Equuleus |
Named after its position in the Parkes Catalog |
1982 by Parkes Observatory |
Distant and bright source of radio waves, located in a galaxy |
Classified as a quasar; emits large amounts of energy |
List of Names of Galaxies in the Universe (Interesting Facts)
A galaxy is a vast system of stars, stellar remnants, interstellar gas, dust, dark matter, and other astronomical objects bound together by gravity. The universe is the entirety of space, time, matter, energy, and all the physical laws and constants that govern them. It encompasses everything that exists, from the smallest subatomic particles to the largest galaxies and beyond.
Table of Content
- List of largest galaxies in the Universe
- List of nearest galaxies in the Universe
- FAQs on Names of Galaxies