Galaxies

M31 Andromeda Galaxy

The Andromeda Galaxy is the nearest galaxy to the milky way. It is one of the furthest objects visible to the naked eye. Andromeda and the Milky Way are predicted to collide in about 4.5 billion years. Andromeda Galaxy contains about 1 trillion stars and the Milky Way contains about 300 billion, the chance of any stars colliding is small because of the huge distances between the stars.

Distance: 2.537 million light years

M33 Triangulum Galaxy

The Triangulum Galaxy is the third-largest galaxy behind Andromeda and the Milky Way known as the Local Group of galaxies. It is one of the most distant permanent objects that can be viewed with the naked eye.

The galaxy is the smallest spiral galaxy in the Local Group

Distance: 2.73 million light years

M51 Whirlpool Galaxy

The Whirlpool Galaxy is an interacting grand-design spiral galaxy with a Seyfert 2 active galactic nucleus. It lies in the constellation Canes Venatici, and was the first galaxy to be classified as a spiral galaxy. Its distance is 31 million light-years away from Earth.

M63 Sunflower Galaxy

M63 The Sunflower Galaxy, is a spiral galaxy in the northern constellation of Canes Venatici with approximately 400 billion stars.

Distance: 27 million light years

The Leo Triplet (M66 Group)

The Leo Triplet (M66 Group), is a group of interacting spiral galaxies located in the constellation Leo. The group consists of the galaxies Messier 65, Messier 66 and NGC 3628, their galactic disks are tilted at different angles. When seen from Earth, NGC 3628 appears edge-on, while M65 and M66 are inclined enough to reveal their spiral arms.

Distance: 35 million light years

M81 Bode's Galaxy

M82 The Cigar Galaxy

Bode's Galaxy is one of the brightest galaxies in the night sky and is located about 11.5 million lightyears from Earth.

The Cigar Galaxy is a starburst galaxy approximately 12 million light-years away in the constellation Ursa Major. A member of the M81 Group, it is about five times more luminous than the Milky Way and has a centre one hundred times more luminous.

Distance: 11.42 million light years

M94 Crocs Eye Galaxy

The Crocs Eye Galaxy is a spiral galaxy in the mid-northern constellation Canes Venatici. It was discovered by Pierre Méchain in 1781, and catalogued by Charles Messier two days later. Although some references describe M94 as a barred spiral galaxy, the "bar" structure appears to be more oval-shaped.

Distance: 16.01 million light years

M100

M100 is a grand design intermediate spiral galaxy located in the constellation Coma Berenices. It is one of the brightest and largest galaxies in the Virgo Cluster with its diameter being 107,000 light years. Showing very well defined spiral arms, it also displays the faintest of bar-like structures in the centre. M100 is accompanied by dwarf elliptical galaxies NGC 4328, and NGC 4323. Bottom left of image is an edge-on unbarred spiral galaxy NGC 4312.

Distance: 55 million light years

M101 Pinwheel Galaxy

The Pinwheel Galaxy is a face-on spiral galaxy 21 million light-years away from Earth in the constellation Ursa Major. The image below shows supernova SN 2023ixf discovered by Japanese astronomer Koichi Itagaki in May 2023. A supernova is a powerful and luminous explosion of a star which occurs during the last evolutionary stages of a massive star or when a white dwarf is triggered into runaway nuclear fusion.

M106 and NGC 4217

M106 is a large intermediate spiral galaxy in the constellation Canes Venatici. Unlike other galaxies with two spiral arms M106 has four. These two extra arms are made up of hot gas rather than stars, they appear to be an indirect result of jets of material produced by the violent churning of matter around the supermassive black hole at the galaxies core.

Distance: 25 million light years

Bottom of image is NGC 4217, an edge-on spiral galaxy which is a possible companion galaxy to M106

Distance: 60 million light years

NGC 4565 Needle Galaxy

NGC 4565 is an edge-on spiral galaxy in the constellation Coma Berenices. A dark dust lane runs the entire length of the galaxy which is easiest to see in the bulge in the central region. The edge-on view into the Needle Galaxy looks very similar to the view we have from our Solar System into the core of the Milky Way.

Distance: 40 million light years

Bottom left of this image is a smaller spiral galaxy NGC 4562

Distance: 37 million light years

NGC 6946 The Firework Galaxy

The Firework Galaxy, officially known as NGC 6946, is a stunning spiral galaxy located in the constellation Cepheus. It’s famous for its prolific star formation and has produced multiple supernovae, earning it the nickname "Firework Galaxy." Observed in both visible and infrared light, its vibrant, colorful arms are packed with young, hot stars, creating a spectacular celestial display. This galaxy’s dynamic nature offers valuable insights into stellar evolution and galactic interactions, making it a favorite subject for astronomers and enthusiasts alike. Its beauty and activity continue to inspire wonder in the vast universe.

Distance: 22 million light years

Google Sites

Report abuse