Complete List Of Galaxy Names [Cool Galaxy Names]

Our universe consists of beautiful celestial objects such as planets, natural satellites, stars, galaxies, etc.

Whenever a celestial object gets discovered, it gets named for reference and further research. Like planets, galaxies, too, have unique names. This article will delve into a complete list of cool galaxy names.

What Is a Galaxy?

A galaxy is a collection of dark matter, gas, and stars that are bound to each other with gravitational force. Our universe is filled with over 100 billion galaxies. They are of many shapes and sizes.

Galaxies are classified into three major groups—irregular, spiral, and elliptical. They span a wide variety of sizes, ranging from dwarf galaxies to giant galaxies. Dwarf galaxies are somewhat irregularly shaped, with as few as 100 million stars. On the other hand, giant galaxies can have over a trillion stars.

Types of Galaxies

Earth resides in the Milky Way galaxy. It is a spiral galaxy. Stars in spiral galaxies are formed at a moderate rate. These galaxies are flat and large, with a mass that is nearly one trillion times that of the Sun. They account for the largest fraction of all galaxies in our universe.

Elliptical galaxies vary in shape. They range from elongated to nearly circular. Compared to other galaxies, they contain very little dust and gas. The stars are older, and there is no active formation of them anymore. These galaxies make up about 0ne-third of the galaxies in the universe.

The giant ellipticals are the rarest and largest of this type of galaxy. They are 300,000 light-years away from us. The more common variety of ellipticals is the dwarf ellipticals. They are about a few thousand light-years across.

Irregular galaxies are neither elliptical nor disc like. They also contain very little dust. An ample number of these galaxies are seen in the early universe before the development of ellipticals and spirals.

Besides the three major categories, there are other unusually shaped galaxies. There are some that are in the midst of interacting or colliding, and others with enormous jets of energy shooting out of them.

How Are Galaxies Named?

With over 100 billion galaxies in our observable universe, it can be a disconcerting task to name all of them. There is a system as to how astronomical objects receive their designation.

Proper names are designated only to prominent galaxies or those that are in close proximity to our own galaxy. While some get descriptive names like Whirpool or Andromeda for their distinctive appearance or location, others are named as a combination of sequence value and acronym.

If you want to look up any galaxy, pick up the NGC or the New General Catalogue of Nebulae and Star Clusters. This modern catalog contains the designations of the galaxies from east to west.

The Messier catalog holds names of over 110 galaxies, whereas the Catalogue of Principal Galaxies names over 73,000 galaxies. This means one galaxy can have various names.

Astronomers who discover galaxies usually bestowed upon them proper names. However, with a multitude of new galaxies coming to light each day, it was impractical to give the vast number of celestial bodies proper names.

Instead, new discoveries were given alphanumeric designations. The International Astronomical Union, which consists of recognized scientists and astronomers from around the world, maintains and organizes the official catalogs of the galaxies.

Galaxy Names

Below, you will find a compilation of all galaxies with proper names and meanings in alphabetical order. Some galaxies on the list are accompanied by their designations. You will also find constellation names if you want to take a peek at some of the galaxies through a telescope.

Ancient civilizations named constellations. However, the discovery of galaxies is a more recent phenomenon. It was not possible to observe galaxies without the aid of telescopes. This is why galaxy names closely match everyday objects rather than mythological characters or animals.

Though some galaxies share names with the constellation they are situated in, it does not mean the galaxy lies in that particular constellation. It just means the galaxy is visible to us within the limits of that constellation. In reality, the galaxy may be much further away.

Galaxy Name	Other Designations	Constellation	About the Galaxy
Whirpool Galaxy	M51a, PGC 47404, UGC 8493, NGC 5194	Canes Venatici	It is the first to be categorized as a spiral galaxy.
Triangulum Galaxy	PGC 5818, NGC 0598, UGC 1117	Triangulum	This spiral galaxy ranks 2nd closest to our galaxy at a distance of 2.7 million light-years away.
Tadpole Galaxy	PGC 57129, UGC 10214, Arp 188	Draco	It is named for its resemblance to a tadpole. It is 420 million light-years away.
Sunflower Galaxy	UGC 8334, PGC 46153,  M63, NGC 5055	Canes Venatici	It was discovered by Pierre Méchain in 1779. It is a flocculent spiral galaxy that is nearly 27 million light-years away.
Southern Pinwheel Galaxy	PGC 48082, M83, NGC 5236	Hydra	At only 15 million light-years across, this galaxy is among the brightest spiral galaxies that can be observed in the night sky.
Sombrero Galaxy	PGC 42407, NGC 4594, M104, UGC 293	Virgo	It is thought that a massive black hole resides at the center of this galaxy.
Sculptor Galaxy	PGC 2789, UGCA 13, NGC 253,	Sculptor	It is a starburst galaxy with an abundance of cosmic dust.
Sculptor Dwarf Galaxy	PGC 3589	Sculptor	It is a spheroidal dwarf galaxy. It is a neighbor to Milky Way.
Pinwheel Galaxy	PGC 50063, M101, NGC 5457, UGC 8981	Ursa Major	It was discovered in 1781. There are large star-forming nebula regions across its spiral arms.
Wolf-Lundmark-Melotte	PGC 143, UGCA 444	Cetus	This lonely dwarf galaxy is a barred irregular galaxy.
Needle Galaxy	UGC 7772, NGC 4565, PGC 42038	Coma Berenices	This is an edge-on galaxy that is nearly 40 million light-years away.
Milky Way			This is the spiral galaxy that contains our Solar System.
Mayall’s Object	APG 148, VV 032	Ursa Major	This stunning galaxy is the result of a collision between two galaxies.
Small Magellanic Cloud	PGC 3085, NGC 292	Tucana	This dwarf galaxy is visible to the unaided eye from the southern hemisphere.
Mice Galaxies	PGC 43062/43065, GC 7938/7939, NGC 4676	Coma Berenices	These are a pair of galaxies that are mid-collision. They are named for their long tails of gas and stars.
Medusa Merger	PGC 39068, UGC 7241, NGC 4194	Ursa Major	This is a duo of merging galaxies with ongoing star formations.
Malin 1	VPC 1091, PGC 42102, LEDA 42102	Coma Berenices	It is the largest spiral galaxy known to us.
Little Sombrero Galaxy	UGC 8, PGC 218, NGC 7814, Caldwell 43	Pegasus	It has a distinctive shape and is about 40 million light-years away.
Lindsay-Shapley Ring	ESO 34-11, AM 0644-741, PGC 19481	Volans	This barred lenticular galaxy is home to super starburst clusters.
Large Magellanic Cloud	ESO 56-G 115, PGC 17223	Dorado	It is neighbor to the Milky Way. It is observable in the southern hemisphere under dark skies.
Hoag’s Galaxy	PGC 54559	Serpens	It is named after its discoverer, Arthur Hoag. It is a ring galaxy.
Hockey Stick Galaxy	PGC 42863, UGC 7907	Canes Venatici	This highly warped distinctive-looking galaxy is a barred spiral galaxy.
Fireworks Galaxy	PGC 65001, NGC 6946, UGC 11597	Cygnus	In the last century, ten stellar explosions were observed in this face-on spiral galaxy.
Eye of Sauron	PGC 38739, NGC 4151, UGC 7166	Canes Venatici	This galaxy earns its name for its similarity to the Lord of the Ring’s Eye of Sauron.
Cosmos Redshift 7		Sextans	It is among the oldest known galaxies. It is a redshift emitter, mostly made up of first-generation stars.
Comet Galaxy	IC 3418, VCC 1217	Sculptor	It is part of a distant galaxy cluster called Abell 2667.
Coma Pinwheel Galaxy	VCC 1217, IC 3418	Coma Berenices	This unbarred spiral galaxy is visible through small telescopes.
Circinus	NGC 4254, PGC 39578	Circinus	A Seyfret galaxy, it is believed to host massive black holes.
Cigar Galaxy	PGC 28655, UGC 5322,         M82, NGC 3034	Ursa Major	At the core of this edge-on spiral galaxy, young stars are being rapidly formed.
Centaurus A	Arp 153, PGC 46957, NGC 5128	Centaurus	There is an active supermassive black hole at the center of this galaxy.
Cartwheel Galaxy	PGC 2248	Sculptor	The cartwheel shape of this galaxy formed after a violent galactic collision.
Butterfly Galaxies	PGC 42064 & 42069, NGC 4567 & 4568, UGC 7776 & 7777	Virgo	These are also known as Siamese Twins. They are a duo of unbarred spiral galaxies in the early stages of collision.
Bode’s Galaxy	UGC 5318, PGC 28630, M81, NGC 3031	Ursa Major	This spiral galaxy is so large and bright that it is visible through binoculars.
Black Eye Galaxy	NGC 4826, PGC 44182, Evil Eye Galaxy, M64	Coma Berenices	This isolated spiral galaxy lies 17 million light-years away.
Backward Galaxy	PGC 42701, NGC 4622	Centaurus	It has a prominent ring structure.
Antennae Galaxies	PGC 37967 & 37969, NGC 4038 & 4039	Corvus	They are a duo of interacting galaxies.
Andromeda	PGC 2557, UGC 454, M31, NGC 224	Andromeda	It is the largest and closest spiral galaxy to the Milky Way.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Galaxy Is Destined to Collide with the Milky Way?

Our galaxy, the Milky Way, will collide with the Andromeda galaxy, our closest large neighbor. This is set to happen nearly five billion years from now.

Which Is the Most Distant Galaxy Known to Us?

The GN-z11 is the oldest and most distant galaxy to be detected in the observable universe. In 2022, another galaxy candidate called HD1 was observed. It may potentially be the farthest galaxy in the universe.

Which Is the Largest Known Galaxy to Us?

In 2022, Alcyoneus, a giant radio galaxy, dethroned the previously largest known galaxy, IC 1101.

Conclusion

With over 100 billion galaxies and more being discovered on a regular basis, it is important to classify and name them. Some galaxies are bestowed distinctive names, while others get cataloged with an alphanumeric designation.