# List of galaxies

There are an estimated 100 billion galaxies in all of the observable 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.

## 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.
| Galaxy | Constellation | Origin of name | Notes |
| Alcyoneus | Lynx | | |
| Andromeda Galaxy | Andromeda | Andromeda, 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 |
| Antennae Galaxies | Corvus | Appearance is similar to an insect's antennae. | Two colliding galaxies |
| Backward Galaxy | Centaurus | It appears to rotate backwards, as the tips of the spiral arms point in the direction of rotation. | |
| Barnard's Galaxy | | Named after Edward Emerson Barnard. | |
| Bear Paw Galaxy | Lynx | It resembles the appearance of a bear's claw. | Also known as "Bear Claw Galaxy." |
| Black Eye Galaxy | Coma Berenices | It 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 Galaxy | Serpens | Its difficulty of viewing in a small telescope and tendency to go in and out of view. |
| Bode's Galaxy | Ursa Major | Named 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 Galaxies | Virgo | Looks are similar to a butterfly. | |
| Cartwheel Galaxy | Sculptor | Its visual appearance is similar to that of a spoked cartwheel. | The largest in the Cartwheel Galaxy group, made up of four spiral galaxies |
| Cigar Galaxy | Ursa Major | Appears similar in shape to a cigar. | Also known as Messier 82 or M82 |
| Circinus Galaxy | Circinus | Named after the constellation it is located in (Circinus). | |
| Cocoon Galaxy | Canes Venatici | Its resemblance in shape to cocoon |
| Coma Pinwheel Galaxy | Coma Berenices | Named after its resemblance to the Pinwheel Galaxy and its location in the Coma Berenices constellation. | Also known as Messier 99 or M99 |
| Comet Galaxy | Sculptor | This 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 Galaxy | Pavo | Named 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 665,300 light-years (204.0 kiloparsecs). It is tidally disturbed by the smaller lenticular galaxy IC 4970. |
| Cosmos Redshift 7 | Sextans | The 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 Galaxy | Camelopardalis | Named after the dust lanes and spiral arms of the galaxy. | |
| Eye of God | Eridanus | Named after its structural appearance | A prototype for multi-arm spiral galaxies |
| Eye of Sauron | Canes Venatici | Due to its resemblance to the Eye of Sauron from The Lord of the Rings. | |
| Fireworks Galaxy | Cygnus and Cepheus | Due to its bright and spotty appearance | Active starburst galaxy |
| Fried Egg Galaxy | Pegasus | Due to its similar appearance to a fried egg |
| Godzilla Galaxy | Perseus | Its extremely large size |
| Helix Galaxy | Ursa Major | Its shape resembles a helix |
| Grasshopper | Lynx | Named after its appearance to a grasshopper | Two colliding galaxies |
| Hidden Galaxy | Camelopardalis | The difficulty in observing this object makes it 'hidden' | |
| Hockey Stick Galaxies | Canes Venatici | Its elongated and curved appearance resembles a hockey stick. | Also known as Crowbar Galaxy |
| Hoag's Object | Serpens Caput | This 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 Galaxy | Draco | Named after its thin shape, similar to knife's edge. |
| Large Magellanic Cloud | Dorado/Mensa | Named after Ferdinand Magellan | This 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 Ring | Volans | Named 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 galaxy |
| Little Sombrero Galaxy | Pegasus | Named after its similarity to the Sombrero Galaxy. | |
| Malin 1 | Coma Berenices | Discovered and named by David Malin. | |
| Meathook Galaxy | Volans | After its appearance resembling a meathook. |
| Medusa Merger | Ursa Major | Ejected 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 Galaxy | Sculptor | Similar to the Sculpture Galaxies | Also known as Sculptor Dwarf Elliptical Galaxy, Sculptor Dwarf Spheroidal Galaxy, and formerly as the Sculptor System |
| Mice Galaxies | Coma Berenices | Appearance is similar to a mouse. | |
| Small Magellanic Cloud | Tucana | Named after Ferdinand Magellan | This 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 Object | Ursa Major | This 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 Way | Sagittarius (centre) | The appearance from Earth of the galaxy—a band of light | The galaxy containing the Sun and its Solar System, and therefore Earth. |
| Needle Galaxy | Coma Berenices | Named due to its slender appearance. | Also known as Caldwell 38 |
| Wolf-Lundmark-Melotte | Cetus | Named for the three astronomers instrumental in its discovery and identification. | |
| Paramecium Galaxy | Pegasus | Named after its appearance to the organism Paramecium | It is included in the Atlas of Peculiar Galaxies in the category galaxies with detached segments. |
| Peekaboo Galaxy | Hydra | Galaxy (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 Galaxy | Ursa Major | Similar in appearance to a pinwheel (toy). | Also known as Messier 101 or M101 |
| Porphyrion | Draco | | |
| Porpoise Galaxy | Hydra | Its appearance resembles a porpoise | Also known as the Penguin Galaxy |
| Sculptor Galaxy | Sculptor | Named 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 65 |
| Skyrocket Galaxy | Ursa Major | Its resemblance to a July 4th skyrocket |
| Sombrero Galaxy | Virgo | Similar in appearance to a sombrero. | Also known as Messier Object 104 or M104 |
| Southern Pinwheel Galaxy | Hydra | Named after its resemblance to the Pinwheel Galaxy and its location in the southern celestial hemisphere. | |
| Spider Galaxy | Boötes | Named after its appearance of a spider | |
| Spiderweb Galaxy | Hydra | Its irregular shape and continuous structure resembles a spiderweb. | |
| Starfish Galaxy | Ophiuchus | Similar in appearance to a starfish. | Merger of 3 galaxies |
| Sunflower Galaxy | Canes Venatici | Similar in appearance to a sunflower. | |
| Tadpole Galaxy | Draco | The 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 Galaxy | Reticulum | The disorganized and chaotic appareance makes it look topsy turvy. |
| Triangulum Galaxy | Triangulum | Named after its location within the Triangulum constellation. | |
| UFO Galaxy | Lynx | Named after its resemblance to a UFO. |
| Whale Galaxy | Canes Venatici | Named after its supposed resemblance to a whale. |
| Whirlpool Galaxy | Canes Venatici | From 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.
Naked-eye galaxies :
| Galaxy | Apparent Magnitude | Distance | Constellation | Notes |
| Milky Way | −6.5 | 0 | Sagittarius (centre) | This is the galaxy containing the Sun and its Solar System, and therefore Earth. Most things visible to the naked eye in the sky are part of it, including the Milky Way composing the Zone of Avoidance. |
| Large Magellanic Cloud | 0.9 | 160 kly (49 kpc) | Dorado/Mensa | Visible only from the southern hemisphere. It is also the brightest patch of nebulosity in the sky. |
| Small Magellanic Cloud (NGC 292) | 2.7 | 200 kly (61 kpc) | Tucana | Visible only from the southern hemisphere. |
| Andromeda Galaxy (M31, NGC 224) | 3.4 | 2.5 Mly (770 kpc) | Andromeda | Once called the Great Andromeda Nebula, it is situated in the Andromeda constellation. |
| Triangulum Galaxy (M33, NGC 598) | 5.7 | 2.9 Mly (890 kpc) | Triangulum | Being a diffuse object, its visibility is strongly affected by even small amounts of light pollution, ranging from easily visible in direct vision in truly dark skies to a difficult averted vision object in rural/suburban skies. |
| Centaurus A (NGC 5128) | 6.84 | 13.7 Mly (4.2 Mpc) | Centaurus | Centaurus A has been spotted with the naked eye by Stephen James O'Meara. |
| Bode's Galaxy (M81, NGC 3031) | 6.94 | 12 Mly (3.7 Mpc) | Ursa Major | Highly experienced amateur astronomers may be able to see Messier 81 under exceptional observing conditions. |
* Sagittarius Dwarf Spheroidal Galaxy is not listed, because it is not discernible as being a separate galaxy in the sky.

## Observational firsts

| First | Galaxy | Constellation | Year | Notes |
| First spiral galaxy | Whirlpool Galaxy | Canes Venatici | 1845 | Lord William Parsons, Earl of Rosse discovered the first spiral nebula from observing M51 (recognition of the spiral shape without the recognition of the object as outside the Milky Way). |
| Notion of galaxy | Milky Way & Andromeda Galaxy | Sagittarius (centre) & Andromeda | 1923 | Recognition of the Milky Way and the Andromeda nebula as two separate galaxies by Edwin Hubble. |
| First Seyfert galaxy | NGC 1068 (M77) | Cetus | 1943 (1908) | The characteristics of Seyfert galaxies were first observed in M77 in 1908; however, Seyferts were defined as a class in 1943. |
| First radio galaxy | Cygnus A | Cygnus | 1951 | Of several items, then called radio stars, Cygnus A was identified with a distant galaxy, being the first of many radio stars to become a radio galaxy. |
| First quasar | 3C 273 | Virgo | 1962 | 3C273 was the first quasar with its redshift determined, and by some considered the first quasar. |
| First quasar | 3C 48 | Triangulum | 1960 | 3C48 was the first "radio-star" with an unreadable spectrum, and by others considered the first quasar. |
| First superluminal galactic jet | 3C 279 | Virgo | 1971 | The jet is emitted by a quasar |
| First low surface brightness galaxy | Malin 1 | Coma Berenices | 1986 | Malin 1 was the first verified LSB galaxy. LSB galaxies had been first theorized in 1976. |
| First superluminal jet from a Seyfert | III Zw 2 | Pisces | 2000 | |

## Prototypes

This is a list of galaxies that became prototypes for a class of galaxies.
Prototype Galaxies :
| Class | Galaxy | Constellation | Date | Notes |
| BL Lac object | BL Lacertae (BL Lac) | Lacerta | | This AGN was originally catalogued as a variable star, and "stars" of its type are considered BL Lac objects. |
| Hoag-type Galaxy | Hoag's Object | Serpens Caput | | This is the prototype Hoag-type ring galaxy |
| Giant LSB galaxy | Malin 1 | Coma Berenices | 1986 | |
| FR II radio galaxy (double-lobed radio galaxy) | Cygnus A | Cygnus | 1951 | |
| Starburst galaxy | Cigar Galaxy | Ursa Major | | |
| Flocculent spiral galaxy | NGC 2841 | Ursa Major | | |

## Closest and most distant-known galaxies by type

| Title | Galaxy | Constellation | Distance | Notes |
| Closest galaxy | Ursa Major III | Ursa Major | 32,600 light-years (10 kiloparsecs) | A proposed dwarf galaxy known as the Canis Major Overdensity may lie closer at 25,000 light-years, however its status as a galaxy is disputed. |
| Most distant galaxy | JADES-GS-z14-0 | Fornax | z=14.32 | High-redshift Lyman-Break galaxy in the constellation Fornax. It was discovered in 2024 using NIRcam as part of the JWST Advanced Deep Extragalactic Survey (JADES) program. It has a redshift of 14.32, making it the furthest galaxy and astronomical object ever discovered. |
| Closest quasar | Markarian 231 | Ursa Major | z=0.0415 | Sometimes classified as a Type-2 Seyfert galaxy, though mostly considered to be the nearest quasar. |
| Most distant quasar | UHZ1 | Sculptor | z=10.1 | Gravitationally lensed quasar behind Pandora's Cluster (Abell 2744). It is also the first quasar observed beyond a redshift of 10. |
| Closest radio galaxy | Centaurus A (NGC 5128, PKS 1322–427) | Centaurus | 13.7 Mly | |
| Most distant radio galaxy | TGSS J1530+1049 | Serpens | z=5.72 | Another radio galaxy, GLEAM J0917-0012, may either lie at z=2.01 or as distant as z=8.21. |
| Closest Seyfert galaxy | Circinus Galaxy | Circinus | 13 Mly | Closest undisputed Seyfert galaxy. It has been proposed that the nearby (2.05 Mly) dwarf galaxy NGC 185 may also be a Seyfert, though this status has been disputed. |
| Most distant Seyfert galaxy | HSC 0921+0007 | Hydra | z=6.56 | Seyfert 1 galaxy; also a low-luminosity quasar. |
| Closest blazar | Markarian 421 (Mrk 421, Mkn 421, PKS 1101+384, LEDA 33452) | Ursa Major | z=0.030 | This is a BL Lac object. |
| Most distant-known blazar | Q0906+6930 | Ursa Major | z=5.47 | This is a flat spectrum radio-loud quasar-type blazar. |
| Closest BL Lac object | Centaurus A | Centaurus | 13.7 Mly | Misaligned BL Lac nucleus. Also the closest radio galaxy (see above) |
| Most distant BL Lac object | FIRST J233153.20+112952.11 | Pegasus | z=6.57 | |
| Closest LINER | | | | |
| Most distant LINER | | | z= | |
| Closest LIRG | | | | |
| Most distant LIRG | | | z= | |
| Closest ULIRG | IC 1127 (Arp 220/APG 220) | Serpens Caput | z=0.018 | |
| Most distant ULIRG | | | z= | |
| Closest starburst galaxy | IC 10 (UGC 192, PGC 1305) | Cassiopeia | 750 ± 150 kpc (2,450,000 ± 489,000 ly) | A mild starburst galaxy, this is the only such galaxy within the Local Group. |
| Most distant starburst galaxy | SPT 0243-49 | | z=5.698 | |

### Closest galaxies

5 Closest Galaxies :
| Rank | Galaxy | Distance | Notes |
| 1 | Milky Way Galaxy | 0 | This is the galaxy containing the Sun and its Solar System, and therefore Earth. |
| 2 | Ursa Major III | 0.032 Mly | |
| 3 | Sagittarius Dwarf Spheroidal Galaxy | 0.081 Mly | |
| 4 | Large Magellanic Cloud | 0.163 Mly | Largest satellite galaxy of the Milky Way |
| 5 | Small Magellanic Cloud | 0.197 Mly | |
| Mly represents millions of light-years, a measure of distance. Distances are measured from Earth, with Earth being at zero. ||||
Nearest Galaxies by Type :
| Title | Galaxy | Date | Distance | Notes |
| Nearest galaxy | Milky Way | always | 0 | This is the galaxy containing the Sun and its Solar System, and therefore Earth. |
| Nearest galaxy to the Milky Way | Sagittarius Dwarf Spheroidal Galaxy | 1994 | 0.070 Mly | The closest, undisputed galaxy. The disputed dwarf galaxy Canis Major Overdensity is even closer at 25,000 light-years. |
| Nearest dwarf galaxy | Sagittarius Dwarf Spheroidal Galaxy | 1994 | 0.070 Mly | |
| Nearest major galaxy to the Milky Way | Andromeda Galaxy | always | 2.54 Mly | First identified as a separate galaxy in 1923 |
| Nearest giant galaxy | Maffei 1 | 1967 | 11 Mly | Nearest major elliptical galaxy to the Milky Way |
Nearest Neighboring Galaxy Title-holder :
| Galaxy | Date | Distance | Notes |
| Ursa Major III | 2023 | 0.01 Mly | |
| Sagittarius Dwarf Spheroidal Galaxy | 1994–2023 | 0.026 Mly | |
| Large Magellanic Cloud | antiquity–1994 | 0.163 Mly | This is the upper bound, as it is the nearest galaxy observable with the naked eye. |
| Small Magellanic Cloud | 1913–1914 | 0.197 Mly | This was the first intergalactic distance measured. In 1913, Ejnar Hertzsprung measures the distance to SMC using Cepheid variables. In 1914, he did it for LMC. |
| Andromeda Galaxy | 1923 | 2.5 Mly | This was the first galaxy determined to not be part of the Milky Way. |
| Mly represents millions of light-years, a measure of distance. Distances are measured from Earth, with Earth being at zero. ||||

### Most distant galaxies

Most Remote Galaxies by Type :
| Title | Galaxy | Date | Redshift | Notes |
| Most remote galaxy confirmed (spectroscopic redshift) | JADES-GS-z14-0 | 2024 | z=13.2 | JADES-GS-z14-0 is the most distant galaxy with a spectroscopic redshift as of June 2024. |
| Most remote quasar | QSO J0313−1806 | 2021 | z=7.64 | Most distant as of January 2021. Further information: List of quasars |
Timeline of Most Remote Galaxy Record-holders :
| Galaxy | Date | Distance (z=Redshift) | Notes |
| GN-z11 | 2016– | z=11.09 | Announced March 2016. |
| EGSY8p7 (EGSY-2008532660) | 2015–2016 | z=8.68 | This galaxy's redshift was determined by examining its Lyman-alpha emissions, which were released in August 2015. |
| EGS-zs8-1 | 2015–2015 | z=7.730 | This was the most distant galaxy as of May 2015. |
| Z8 GND 5296 | 2013–2015 | z=7.51 | |
| SXDF-NB1006-2 | 2012–2013 | z=7.215 | |
| GN-108036 | 2012–2012 | z=7.213 | |
| BDF-3299 | 2012–2013 | z=7.109 | |
| IOK-1 | 2006–2010 | z=6.96 | This was the most remote object known at the time of discovery. In 2009, gamma ray burst GRB 090423 was discovered at z=8.2, taking the title of most distant object. The next galaxy to hold the title also succeeded GRB 090423, that being UDFy-38135539. |
| SDF J132522.3+273520 | 2005–2006 | z=6.597 | This was the remotest object known at time of discovery. |
| SDF J132418.3+271455 | 2003–2005 | z=6.578 | This was the remotest object known at time of discovery. |
| HCM-6A | 2002–2003 | z=6.56 | This was the remotest object known at time of discovery. The galaxy is lensed by galaxy cluster Abell 370. This was the first galaxy, as opposed to quasar, found to exceed redshift 6. It exceeded the redshift of quasar SDSSp J103027.10+052455.0 of z=6.28 |
| SSA22−HCM1 | 1999–2002 | z=5.74 | This was the remotest object known at time of discovery. In 2000, the quasar SDSSp J104433.04-012502.2 was discovered at z=5.82, becoming the most remote object in the universe known. This was followed by another quasar, SDSSp J103027.10+052455.0 in 2001, the first object exceeding redshift 6, at z=6.28 |
| HDF 4-473.0 | 1998–1999 | z=5.60 | This was the remotest object known at the time of discovery. |
| RD1 (0140+326 RD1) | 1998 | z=5.34 | This was the remotest object known at time of discovery. This was the first object found beyond redshift 5. |
| CL 1358+62 G1 & CL 1358+62 G2 | 1997–1998 | z=4.92 | These were the remotest objects known at the time of discovery. The pair of galaxies were found lensed by galaxy cluster CL1358+62 (z=0.33). This was the first time since 1964 that something other than a quasar held the record for being the most distant object in the universe. It exceeded the mark set by quasar PC 1247-3406 at z=4.897 |
| From 1964 to 1997, the title of most distant object in the universe were held by a succession of quasars. That list is available at list of quasars. ||||
| 8C 1435+63 | 1994–1997 | z=4.25 | This is a radio galaxy. At the time of its discovery, quasar PC 1247-3406 at z=4.73, discovered in 1991 was the most remote object known. This was the last radio galaxy to hold the title of most distant galaxy. This was the first galaxy, as opposed to quasar, that was found beyond redshift 4. |
| 4C 41.17 | 1990–1994 | z=3.792 | This is a radio galaxy. At the time of its discovery, quasar PC 1158+4635, discovered in 1989, was the most remote object known, at z=4.73 In 1991, quasar PC 1247-3406, became the most remote object known, at z=4.897 |
| 1 Jy 0902+343 (GB6 B0902+3419, B2 0902+34) | 1988–1990 | z=3.395 | This is a radio galaxy. At the time of discovery, quasar Q0051-279 at z=4.43, discovered in 1987, was the most remote object known. In 1989, quasar PC 1158+4635 was discovered at z=4.73, making it the most remote object known. This was the first galaxy discovered above redshift 3. It was also the first galaxy found above redshift 2. |
| 3C 256 | 1984–1988 | z=1.819 | This is a radio galaxy. At the time, the most remote object was quasar PKS 2000-330, at z=3.78, found in 1982. |
| 3C 241 | 1984 | z=1.617 | This is a radio galaxy. At the time, the most remote object was quasar PKS 2000-330, at z=3.78, found in 1982. |
| 3C 324 | 1983–1984 | z=1.206 | This is a radio galaxy. At the time, the most remote object was quasar PKS 2000-330, at z=3.78, found in 1982. |
| 3C 65 | 1982–1983 | z=1.176 | This is a radio galaxy. At the time, the most remote object was quasar OQ172, at z=3.53, found in 1974. In 1982, quasar PKS 2000-330 at z=3.78 became the most remote object. |
| 3C 368 | 1982 | z=1.132 | This is a radio galaxy. At the time, the most remote object was quasar OQ172, at z=3.53, found in 1974. |
| 3C 252 | 1981–1982 | z=1.105 | This is a radio galaxy. At the time, the most remote object was quasar OQ172, at z=3.53, found in 1974. |
| 3C 6.1 | 1979 – | z=0.840 | This is a radio galaxy. At the time, the most remote object was quasar OQ172, at z=3.53, found in 1974. |
| 3C 318 | 1976 – | z=0.752 | This is a radio galaxy. At the time, the most remote object was quasar OQ172, at z=3.53, found in 1974. |
| 3C 411 | 1975 – | z=0.469 | This is a radio galaxy. At the time, the most remote object was quasar OQ172, at z=3.53, found in 1974. |
| From 1964 to 1997, the title of most distant object in the universe were held by a succession of quasars. That list is available at list of quasars. ||||
| 3C 295 | 1960– | z=0.461 | This is a radio galaxy. This was the remotest object known at time of discovery of its redshift. This was the last non-quasar to hold the title of most distant object known until 1997. In 1964, quasar 3C 147 became the most distant object in the universe known. |
| LEDA 25177 (MCG+01-23-008) | 1951–1960 | z=0.2 (V=61000 km/s) | This galaxy lies in the Hydra Supercluster. It is located at B1950.0 08$^h$ 55$^m$ 4$^s$ +03° 21′ and is the BCG of the fainter Hydra Cluster Cl 0855+0321 (ACO 732). |
| LEDA 51975 (MCG+05-34-069) | 1936– | z=0.13 (V=39000 km/s) | The brightest cluster galaxy of the Bootes cluster (ACO 1930), an elliptical galaxy at B1950.0 14$^h$ 30$^m$ 6$^s$ +31° 46′ apparent magnitude 17.8, was found by Milton L. Humason in 1936 to have a 40,000 km/s recessional redshift velocity. |
| LEDA 20221 (MCG+06-16-021) | 1932 – | z=0.075 (V=23000 km/s) | This is the BCG of the Gemini Cluster (ACO 568) and was located at B1950.0 07$^h$ 05$^m$ 0$^s$ +35° 04′ |
| BCG of WMH Christie's Leo Cluster | 1931–1932 | z= (V=19700 km/s) | |
| BCG of Baede's Ursa Major Cluster | 1930–1931 | z= (V=11700 km/s) | |
| NGC 4860 | 1929–1930 | z=0.026 (V=7800 km/s) | |
| NGC 7619 | 1929 | z=0.012 (V=3779 km/s) | Using redshift measurements, NGC 7619 was the highest at the time of measurement. At the time of announcement, it was not yet accepted as a general guide to distance; however, later in the year, Edwin Hubble described redshift in relation to distance, leading to a seachange, and having this being accepted as an inferred distance. |
| NGC 584 (Dreyer nebula 584) | 1921–1929 | z=0.006 (V=1800 km/s) | At the time, nebula had yet to be accepted as independent galaxies. However, in 1923, galaxies were generally recognized as external to the Milky Way. |
| M104 (NGC 4594) | 1913–1921 | z=0.004 (V=1180 km/s) | This was the second galaxy whose redshift was determined; the first being Andromeda—which is approaching us and thus cannot have its redshift used to infer distance. Both were measured by Vesto Melvin Slipher. At this time, nebula had yet to be accepted as independent galaxies. NGC 4594 was originally measured as 1000 km/s, then refined to 1100, and then to 1180 in 1916. |
| M81 | antiquity – 20th century | 11.8 Mly z=-0.10) | This is the lower bound, as it is remotest galaxy observable with the naked eye. It is 12 million light-years away. Redshift cannot be used to infer distance, because it is moving toward us faster than cosmological expansion. |
| Messier 101 | 1930– | | Using the pre-1950s Cepheid measurements, M101 was one of the most distant so measured. |
| Triangulum Galaxy | 1924–1930 | | In 1924, Edwin Hubble announced the distance to M33 Triangulum. |
| Andromeda Galaxy | 1923–1924 | | In 1923, Edwin Hubble measured the distance to Andromeda, and settled the question of whether or not there were galaxies, or if everything was in the Milky Way. |
| Small Magellanic Cloud | 1913–1923 | | This was the first intergalactic distance measured. In 1913, Ejnar Hertzsprung measures the distance to SMC using Cepheid variables. |

#### Timeline notes

* MACS0647-JD, discovered in 2012, with z=10.7, does not appear on this list because it has not been confirmed with a spectroscopic redshift.
* UDFy-38135539, discovered in 2009, with z=8.6, does not appear on this list because its claimed redshift is disputed. Follow-up observations have failed to replicate the cited redshift measurement.
* A1689-zD1, discovered in 2008, with z=7.6, does not appear on this list because it has not been confirmed with a spectroscopic redshift.
* Abell 68 c1 and Abell 2219 c1, discovered in 2007, with z=9, do not appear on this list because they have not been confirmed.
* IOK4 and IOK5, discovered in 2007, with z=7, do not appear on this list because they have not been confirmed with a spectroscopic redshift.
* Abell 1835 IR1916, discovered in 2004, with z=10.0, does not appear on this list because its claimed redshift is disputed. Some follow-up observations have failed to find the object at all.
* STIS 123627+621755, discovered in 1999, with z=6.68, does not appear on this list because its redshift was based on an erroneous interpretation of an oxygen emission line as a hydrogen emission line.
* BR1202-0725 LAE, discovered in 1998 at z=5.64 does not appear on the list because it was not definitively pinned. BR1202-0725 (QSO 1202-07) refers to a quasar that the Lyman alpha emitting galaxy is near. The quasar itself lies at z=4.6947
* BR2237-0607 LA1 and BR2237-0607 LA2 were found at z=4.55 while investigating around the quasar BR2237-0607 in 1996. Neither of these appear on the list because they were not definitively pinned down at the time. The quasar itself lies at z=4.558
* Two absorption dropouts in the spectrum of quasar BR 1202-07 (QSO 1202-0725, BRI 1202-0725, BRI1202-07) were found, one in early 1996, another later in 1996. Neither of these appear on the list because they were not definitively pinned down at the time. The early one was at z=4.38, the later one at z=4.687, the quasar itself lies at z=4.695
* In 1986, a gravitationally lensed galaxy forming a blue arc was found lensed by galaxy cluster CL 2224-02 (C12224 in some references). However, its redshift was only determined in 1991, at z=2.237, by which time, it would no longer be the most distant galaxy known.
* An absorption drop was discovered in 1985 in the light spectrum of quasar PKS 1614+051 at z=3.21 This does not appear on the list because it was not definitively fixed down. At the time, it was claimed to be the first non-QSO galaxy found beyond redshift 3. The quasar itself is at z=3.197
* In 1975, 3C 123 was incorrectly determined to lie at z=0.637 (actually z=0.218).
* From 1964 to 1997, the title of most distant object in the universe was held by a succession of quasars. That list is available at list of quasars.
* In 1958, clusters Cl 0024+1654 and Cl 1447+2619 were estimated to have redshifts of z=0.29 and z=0.35, respectively. However, no galaxy was spectroscopically determined.

## Galaxies by brightness and power

| Title | Galaxy | Data | Notes |
| Intrinsically brightest galaxy | Baby Boom Galaxy | | Starburst galaxy located 12 billion light-years away |
| Brightest galaxy to the naked eye | Large Magellanic Cloud | Apparent magnitude 0.6 | This galaxy has high surface brightness combined with high apparent brightness. |
| Intrinsically faintest galaxy | Ursa Major III | Absolute magnitude +2.2 | This does not include dark galaxies. |
| Lowest surface brightness galaxy | Andromeda IX | | |
| Most luminous galaxy | WISE J224607.57−052635.0 | | As of 21 May 2015, WISE-J224607.57-052635.0-20150521 is the most luminous galaxy discovered and releases 10,000 times more energy than the Milky Way galaxy, although smaller. Nearly 100 percent of the light escaping from this dusty galaxy is Infrared radiation. (Image) |
| Brightest distant galaxy (z > 6) | Cosmos Redshift 7 | | 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. |

## Galaxies by mass and density

| Title | Galaxy | Data | Notes |
| Least massive galaxy | Segue 2 | ~550,000 M$_{Sun}$ | This is not considered a star cluster, as it is held together by the gravitational effects of dark matter rather than just the mutual attraction of the constituent stars, gas and black holes. |
| Most massive galaxy | ESO 146-5 | ~30×10$^{12}$ M$_{Sun}$ | Central galaxy in Abell 3827, 1.4 Gly distant. |
| Most dense galaxy | M85-HCC1 | | This is an ultra-compact dwarf galaxy |
| Least dense galaxy | | | |
| Most massive spiral galaxy | ISOHDFS 27 | 1.04×10$^{12}$ M$_{Sun}$ | The preceding most massive spiral was UGC 12591 |
| Least massive galaxy with globular cluster(s) | Andromeda I | | |

## Galaxies by size

| Title | Galaxy | Constellation | Diameter | Estimation method | Notes |
| Smallest known galaxy | Ursa Major III | Ursa Major | 3 parsecs (9.8 light-years) | Half-light radius | A Milky Way satellite dwarf galaxy. |
| Largest known galaxy | ESO 383-76 | Centaurus | 540.89 kiloparsecs (1,764,000 light-years) | 90% total B-light | Central galaxy of Abell 3571 |
| Largest spiral galaxy | NGC 6872 | Pavo | 220 kiloparsecs (718,000 light-years) | D$_{25.5}$ isophote | Interacting galaxy, stripped by IC 4970. |
| Largest irregular galaxy | UGC 6697 | Leo | 62.82 kiloparsecs (205,000 light-years) | D$_{25}$ isophote | Disrupted spiral-like galaxy, possible jellyfish galaxy. |
| Largest lenticular galaxy | ESO 248-6 | Eridanus | 530.62 kiloparsecs (1,731,000 light-years) | 90% total B-light | Central galaxy of Abell 3112. |
| Largest starburst galaxy | Abell 2125 BCG | Ursa Minor | 219.28 kiloparsecs (715,000 light-years) | 2MASS K-band total mag | |

## Interacting galaxies

Galaxies in tidal interaction :
| Galaxies | Notes |
| Milky Way Galaxy Large Magellanic Cloud Small Magellanic Cloud | The Magellanic Clouds are being tidally disrupted by the Milky Way Galaxy, resulting in the Magellanic Stream drawing a tidal tail away from the LMC and SMC, and the Magellanic Bridge drawing material from the clouds to the Milky Way galaxy. |
| Whirlpool Galaxy (NGC 5194, M51a) NGC 5195 (M51b) | The smaller galaxy NGC 5195 is tidally interacting with the larger Whirlpool Galaxy, creating its grand design spiral galaxy architecture. |
| M81 M82 NGC 3077 | These three galaxies interact with each other and draw out tidal tails, which are dense enough to form star clusters. The bridge of gas between these galaxies is known as Arp's Loop. |
| NGC 6872 and IC 4970 NGC 6872 IC 4970 | NGC 6872 is a barred spiral galaxy with a grand design spiral nucleus, and distinct well-formed outer barred-spiral architecture, caused by tidal interaction with satellite galaxy IC 4970. |
| Tadpole Galaxy | The Tadpole Galaxy tidally interacted with another galaxy in a close encounter, and remains slightly disrupted, with a long tidal tail. |
Galaxies in non-merger significant collision :
| Galaxies | Data | Notes |
| Arp 299 (NGC 3690 & IC 694) | | These two galaxies have recently collided and are now both barred irregular galaxies. |
Galaxies disrupted post significant non-merger collisions :
| Galaxies | Data | Notes |
| Mayall's Object | | This is a pair of galaxies, one which punched through the other, resulting in a ring galaxy. |

### Galaxy mergers

Galaxies undergoing near-equal merger :
| Galaxies | Data | Notes |
| Antennae Galaxies (Ringtail Galaxy, NGC 4038 & NGC 4039, Arp 244) | 2 galaxies | Two spiral galaxies currently starting a collision, tidally interacting, and in the process of merger. |
| Eyes Galaxies (NGC 4435 & NGC 4438, Arp 120) | 2 galaxies | Two galaxies which have interacted or still interacting via an off-center collision, both had interacted with M86 in the past. |
| Butterfly Galaxies (Siamese Twins Galaxies, NGC 4567 & NGC 4568) | 2 galaxies | Two spiral galaxies in the process of starting to merge. |
| Mice Galaxies (NGC 4676, NGC 4676A & NGC 4676B, IC 819 & IC 820, Arp 242) | 2 galaxies | Two spiral galaxies currently tidally interacting and in the process of merger. |
| NGC 520 | 2 galaxies | Two spiral galaxies undergoing collision, in the process of merger. |
| NGC 2207 and IC 2163 (NGC 2207 & IC 2163) | 2 galaxies | These are two spiral galaxies starting to collide, in the process of merger. |
| NGC 5090 and NGC 5091 (NGC 5090 & NGC 5091) | 2 galaxies | These two galaxies are in the process of colliding and merging. |
| NGC 7318 (Arp 319, NGC 7318A & NGC 7318B) | 2 galaxies | These are two starting to collide |
| Four galaxies in CL0958+4702 | 4 galaxies | These four near-equals at the core of galaxy cluster CL 0958+4702 are in the process of merging. |
| Galaxy protocluster LBG-2377 | z=3.03 | This was announced as the most distant galaxy merger ever discovered. It is expected that this proto-cluster of galaxies will merge to form a brightest cluster galaxy, and become the core of a larger galaxy cluster. |
| Galaxy protocluster SPT2349-56 | z=4.3 (14 galaxies) | This protocluster is located at 12.4 billion light years from the Earth. Each of these galaxies are forming stars at 1000 times that of the Milky Way, nicknamed the Dusty Red Core. |
Recently merged galaxies of near-equals :
| Galaxy | Data | Notes |
| Starfish Galaxy (NGC 6240, IC 4625) | | This recently coalesced galaxy still has two prominent nuclei. |
Galaxies undergoing disintegration by cannibalization :
| Disintegrating Galaxy | Consuming Galaxy | Notes |
| Canis Major Dwarf Galaxy | Milky Way Galaxy | The Monoceros Ring is thought to be the tidal tail of the disrupted CMa dg. |
| Virgo Stellar Stream | Milky Way Galaxy | This is thought to be a completely disrupted dwarf galaxy. |
| Sagittarius Dwarf Elliptical Galaxy | Milky Way Galaxy | M54 is thought to be the core of this dwarf galaxy. |
Objects considered destroyed galaxies :
| Defunct Galaxy | Destroyer | Notes |
| Omega Centauri | Milky Way Galaxy | This is now categorized a globular cluster of the Milky Way. However, it is considered the core of a dwarf galaxy that the Milky Way cannibalized. |
| Mayall II | Andromeda Galaxy | This is now categorized a globular cluster of Andromeda. However, it is considered the core of a dwarf galaxy that Andromeda cannibalized. |
| Gaia Sausage | Milky Way Galaxy | It is now considered a remnant of a dwarf galaxy that collided with the Milky Way about 8-11 billion years ago. It is the last major merger of the Milky Way in its lifetime. |

## Galaxies with some other notable feature

| Galaxy name | Distance | Constellation | Property | Notes |
| SDSS J081421.68+522410 | | Lynx | Giant radio lobes | Also termed Alcyoneus. Its radio lobes are the largest known structure made by a single galaxy. |
| M87 | | Virgo | | This is the central galaxy of the Virgo Cluster, the central cluster of the Local Supercluster It contains the first black hole ever imaged, in April 2019, by the Event Horizon Telescope. |
| M102 | | Draco (Ursa Major) | | This galaxy cannot be definitively identified, with the most likely candidate being NGC 5866, and a good chance of it being a misidentification of M101. Other candidates have also been suggested. |
| NGC 2770 | | Lynx | "Supernova Factory" | NGC 2770 is referred to as the "Supernova Factory" due to three recent supernovae occurring within it. |
| Arp 122 | | | | Arp 122 is a collision of NGC 6040 and PGC 56942 or NGC 6039. |
| NGC 3314 (NGC 3314a and NGC 3314b) | | Hydra | exact visual alignment | This is a pair of spiral galaxies, one superimposed on another, at two separate and distinct ranges, and unrelated to each other. It is a rare chance visual alignment. |
| ESO 137-001 | | Triangulum Australe | "tail" feature | Lying in the galaxy cluster Abell 3627, this galaxy is being stripped of its gas by the pressure of the intracluster medium (ICM), due to its high speed traversal through the cluster, and is leaving a high density tail with large amounts of star formation. The tail features the largest amount of star formation outside of a galaxy seen so far. The galaxy has the appearance of a comet, with the head being the galaxy, and a tail of gas and stars. |
| Comet Galaxy | | Sculptor | interacting with a galaxy cluster | Lying in galaxy cluster Abell 2667, this spiral galaxy is being tidally stripped of stars and gas through its high speed traversal through the cluster, having the appearance of a comet. |
| 4C +37.11 | 230 Mpc | Perseus | Least separation between binary central black holes, at 24 ly (7.4 pc) | OJ 287 has an inferred pair with a 12-year orbital period, and thus would be much closer than 4C 37.11's pair. |
| SDSS J150636.30+540220.9 15$^h$ 06$^m$ 36.30$^s$+54° 02′ 20.9″ ("SDSS J1506+54") | z = 0.608 | Boötes | Most efficient star production | Most extreme example in the list of moderate-redshift galaxies with the highest density starbursts yet observed found in the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer data (Diamond-Stanic et al. 2012). |
| Cosmos Redshift 7 | z = 6.604 | Sextans | Brightest distant galaxy (z > 6, 12.9 billion light-years) | 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. |