Deep Sky Observer
Amateur Astronomy For All
Galaxies
A galaxy is a large assemblage of stars, gas, and dust bound by gravity. Galaxies come in three basic flavors: spiral, elliptical, and irregular.
Getting Started
Given dark skies, the easiest galaxy to observe is our home galaxy, the Milky Way. From mid-Northern latitudes the brightest galaxies include the Andromeda Galaxy (M31), Bode's Galaxy (M81), the Whirlpool Galaxy (M51), the Spindle Galaxy (NGC 3115), and the Sombrero Galaxy (M104). For observers in the Southern hemisphere, the Magellanic Clouds, Centaurus A (NGC 5128), and the Southern Pinwheel Galaxy (M83) are easy galactic targets.