Astronomers estimate there are at least two trillion galaxies in the observable universe. That’s twelve zeroes by the way.
Each of these contains billions or even trillions of stars. The numbers are just mind-boggling.
But let’s zoom back and take a look at the galaxies that are closer to us.
Below you will find a list of nearby galaxies ordered by distance starting from the ones closer to our own galaxy, the Milky Way.
Most of these galaxies are found in what astronomers call the local group, which is a bunch of galaxies that are relatively close to each other and that contain the Milky Way.
In the table below, you will also find some general information about each galaxy, here’s what each of the columns means:
Name: Proper name and or scientific designation of the galaxy. You can learn more about how these are named in this article about galaxy names.
Distance: Approximate distance from Earth to the center of each galaxy. Given in millions of light-years.
Magnitude (apparent magnitude): This refers to the “brightness” or “luminosity” of the galaxy as seen from Earth. It is in a logarithmic scale and a lesser magnitude means a brighter object. For reference, the Moon has an apparent magnitude of -12.6 and Neptune of 7.8.
Diameter: Approximate diameter of the longest axis of a galaxy. Given in light-years.
As you will see, the closest galaxy to Earth is the dwarf galaxy Canis Major Dwarf, named like that because it can be seen in the same area of the sky as the Canis Major constellation. This small galaxy is located “only” 25,000 light-years away from us.
Please note that only the closest 200 galaxies are included in the table.
| Galaxy Name | Distance (millions of light-years) | Magnitude | Diameter (light-years) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canis Major Dwarf | 0.025 | 23.3 | |
| Draco II | 0.0701 | 15.87 | 120 |
| Tucana III | 0.0747 | 15.5 | 220 |
| Segue 1 | 0.075 | 13.8 | |
| Sagittarius Dwarf Sphr SagDEG | 0.078 | 4.5 | 10,000 |
| Hydrus I | 0.0900 | 12.49 | 348 |
| Carina III | 0.0907 | 14.82 | 200 |
| Ursa Major II Dwarf | 0.098 | 14.3 | ~1,800 |
| Triangulum II | 0.098 | 15.6 | |
| Reticulum II | 0.102 | 14.4 | 378 |
| Segue 2 | 0.114 | 220 | |
| Carina II | 0.122 | 13.36 | 590 |
| Willman 1 | 0.124 | ||
| Boötes II | 0.137 | ||
| Coma Berenices Dwarf | 0.137 | ||
| Pictor II | 0.147 | 15.1 | 300 |
| Boötes III | 0.150 | ||
| Tucana IV | 0.157 | 14.9 | |
| Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) | 0.163 | 0.9 | 32,200 |
| Grus II | 0.179 | 607 | |
| Tucana II | 0.186 | 15.0 | 1080 |
| Boötes I | 0.197 | 13.1 | |
| Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC, NGC 292) | 0.205 | 2.7 | 18,900 |
| Ursa Minor Dwarf | 0.205 | 11.9 | |
| Eridanus IV | 0.250 | 14.72 | 489 |
| Horologium II | 0.254 | 1.69 | 287 |
| Draco Dwarf (DDO 208) | 0.258 | 10.9 | ~2,700 × 1,900 |
| Horologium I | 0.258 | 196 | |
| Pisces Overdensity | 0.26 | ||
| Sextans Dwarf Sph | 0.280 | 12 | 8,400 |
| Sculptor Dwarf (ESO 351-G30) | 0.287 | 10.1 | |
| Pegasus IV | 0.294 | 15.52 | |
| Virgo I | 0.297 | 19.5 | |
| Reticulum III | 0.300 | 16.51 | 420 |
| Ursa Major I Dwarf (UMa I dSph) | 0.3157 | ~2,000 | |
| Phoenix II | 0.326 | 290 | |
| Carina Dwarf (ESO 206-G220) | 0.33 | 11.3 | 1,600 |
| Aquarius II | 0.3519 | 15.8 | 1,040 |
| Pictor I | 0.372 | 20.3 | 190 |
| Crater II | 0.383 | 12.2 | |
| Grus I | 0.391 | 17.0 | 404 |
| Antlia 2 | 0.430 | ||
| Hercules Dwarf | 0.434 | 14.7 | |
| Fornax Dwarf (ESO 356-G04) | 0.466 | 9.28 | |
| Canes Venatici II Dwarf | 0.49 | 15.1 | |
| Hydra II | 0.492 | 500 | |
| Leo IV Dwarf | 0.502 | 15.9 | |
| Leo V Dwarf | 0.571 | ||
| Pisces II | 0.597 | 17.03 | |
| Columba I | 0.597 | 17.11 | 760 |
| Boötes IV | 0.682 | 17.07 | 3,000 |
| Leo II Dwarf (Leo B, DDO 93) | 0.701 | 12.45 | 4,100 (tidal) |
| Pegasus III | 0.701 | 17.50 | 350 |
| Canes Venatici I Dwarf | 0.711 | 13.9 | |
| Cetus III | 0.819 | 19.55 | 580 |
| Leo I Dwarf (DDO 74, UGC 5470) | 0.820 | 11.18 | |
| Eridanus II | 1.19 | 1,810 | |
| Leo T Dwarf | 1.35 | 16 | 2,300 |
| Phoenix Dwarf Galaxy (P 6830) | 1.44 | 13.07 | |
| Pisces V (Andromeda XVI) | 1.79 | 16.1 | 985 |
| Barnard’s Galaxy (NGC 6822) | 1.859 | 9.32 | 7,000 |
| NGC 185 | 2.05 | 9.99 | |
| Andromeda II | 2.22 | 11.7 | 6,820 |
| Cassiopeia II (Andromeda XXX) | 2.221 | 16.0 | 1,800 |
| IC 1613 (UGC 668) | 2.24 | 9.92 | |
| Pegasus V (Andromeda XXXIV) | 2.26 | ||
| Leo A (Leo III, DDO 69) | 2.34 | 12.92 | |
| Andromeda XVII | 2.371 | 16.6 | 1,900 |
| Andromeda XXV | 2.401 | 15.3 | 3,560 |
| Andromeda XI | 2.41 | ||
| Andromeda XX | 2.417 | 18.0 | 590 |
| Andromeda XXIII | 2.440 | 14.6 | 7,770 |
| IC 10 (UGC 192) | 2.446 | 12.2 | |
| Andromeda III | 2.45 | 14.4 | 2750 |
| Cassiopeia Dwarf (Cas dSph, Andromeda VII) | 2.45 | 13.65 | |
| Andromeda XXVI | 2.459 | 18.5 | 980 |
| Cetus Dwarf | 2.460 | 14.4 | |
| Pisces III (Andromeda XIII) | 2.479 | 17.8 | 850 |
| Andromeda XV | 2.48 | 16.0 | 1840 |
| M32 (NGC 221) | 2.489 | 8.73 | 6,500 |
| Andromeda IX | 2.500 | ||
| Pisces Dwarf (LGS 3) | 2.510 | 16.18 | |
| Cassiopeia III (Andromeda XXXII) | 2.518 | 12.15 | 9,500 |
| Andromeda V | 2.52 | 16.67 | |
| Lacerta I (Andromeda XXXI) | 2.521 | 13.04 | 4,750 |
| NGC 147 (DDO 3) | 2.53 | 10.36 | |
| Andromeda Galaxy (M31) | 2.538 | 4.17 | 152,000 |
| Pegasus Dwarf Spheroidal (Andromeda VI) | 2.55 | 14.05 | |
| Perseus I (Andromeda XXXIII) | 2.560 | 14.19 | 2,600 |
| Andromeda XIV (Pisces IV) | 2.586 | 15.8 | ~1,700 |
| Andromeda I | 2.61 | 12.7 | 5,840 |
| Andromeda XXVIII | 2.645 | 15.85 | 1,800 |
| M110 (NGC 205) | 2.67 | 8.72 | |
| Andromeda VIII | 2.700 | 9.1 | |
| Andromeda XXIX | 2.704 | 16.09 | 2,050 |
| Triangulum Galaxy (M33) | 2.73 | 6.19 | 61,100 |
| Andromeda XXI | 2.802 | ||
| Tucana Dwarf | 2.87 | 15.7 | |
| Andromeda X | 2.90 | 16.1 | |
| Andromeda XXIV | 2.929 | 16.3 | 4,440 |
| Pegasus Dwarf Irregular (DDO 216) | 2.929 | 13.21 | |
| Andromeda XII | 3.027 | 17.7 | 2,740 |
| Wolf-Lundmark-Melotte (WLM, DDO 221) | 3.043 | 11.03 | 11,500 |
| Andromeda XIX | 3.043 | 2,200 | |
| Andromeda XXII | 3.219 | 18.0 | |
| Aquarius Dwarf Galaxy (DDO 210) | 3.22 | 14.0 | |
| Pisces VII (Triangulum III) | 3.26 | ||
| Sagittarius Dwarf Irregular Galaxy (SagDIG) | 3.907 | 15.5 | 3,000 |
| UGC 4879 (VV124) | 3.956 | 13.2 | 3,000 |
| Andromeda XVIII | 3.960 | 16.2 | ≈ 1,200 |
| Antlia Dwarf | 4.28 | 16.19 | 3,000 |
| Sextans A (UGCA 205, DDO 75) | 4.31 | 11.86 | 5,000 |
| NGC 3109 | 4.338 | 10.39 | 25,000 |
| Antlia B | 4.40 | 15.95 | 1,780 |
| Sextans B (UGC 5373) | 4.47 | 11.85 | 6,000 |
| Tucana B | 4.56 | 18.85 | |
| Cassiopeia 1 | 5.19 | 14.62 | |
| Leo P | 5.28 | 16.89 | 3,690 |
| IC 5152 | 5.68 | 11.06 | 4,000 |
| NGC 300 | 6.07 | 8.95 | 94,000 |
| KKR 25 | 6.20 | 17.0 | |
| ESO 410-G005 | 6.213 | 14.85 | ≈ 2,500 |
| ESO 294-010 | 6.36 | 15.6 | |
| NGC 55 | 6.52 | 8.84 | 70,000 |
| KKs 3 | 6.91 | 14.47 | 4,900 |
| KKR 3 (KK 230) | 6.98 | 17.90 | 980 |
| UGCA 438 (ESO 407-018) | 7.24 | 13.86 | |
| KK 258 (ESO 468-20) | 7.27 | ||
| UGC 9128 (DDO 187) | 7.31 | 14.38 | |
| IC 3104 | 7.40 | 13.63 | |
| GR 8 (DDO 155) | 7.8 | 14.65 | |
| IC 4662 (ESO 102-14) | 7.96 | 11.74 | 7,000 |
| KKH 98 | 7.99 | 16.7 | |
| UGC 8508 (I Zw 060) | 8.35 | 14.40 | |
| KKH 86 | 8.48 | 16.8 | |
| DDO 99 (UGC 6817) | 8.61 | 13.4 | |
| ESO 6-1 | 8.81 | 14.75 | |
| UGC 7577 (DDO 125) | 8.94 | 12.84 | |
| Dwingeloo 1 | 9.1 | 19.8 | 35,000 |
| UGC 9240 (DDO 190) | 9.13 | 13.25 | 15,000 |
| NGC 4190 | 9.19 | 13.50 | |
| KKs 53 (Cen 7) | 9.56 | 17.30 | |
| NGC 4214 (UGC 7278) | 9.59 | 10.24 | |
| UGCA 276 (DDO 113) | 9.62 | 15.40 | |
| UGCA 133 (DDO 44) | 9.65 | 15.54 | |
| NGC 4163 (NGC 4167) | 9.65 | 14.5 | 4,000 |
| UGCA 86 | 9.72 | 13.5 | 20,000 |
| NGC 1560 | 9.75 | 12.16 | |
| MADCASH-2 (MADCASH J121007+352635-dw) | 9.78 | 18.24 | |
| Dwingeloo 2 | 9.8 | 20.5 | 20,000 |
| KKH 11 (ZOAG G135.74-04.53) | 9.8 | 16.2 | |
| KKH 12 | 9.8 | 17.8 | |
| MB 3 | 9.8 | 19.8 | 10,000 |
| MB 1 (KK 21) | 9.8 | 20.5 | 5,000 |
| Maffei 1 | 9.8 | 11.4 | 55,000 |
| Maffei 2 | 9.801 | 14.77 | 60,000 |
| UGC 8651 (DDO 181) | 9.82 | 14.7 | |
| Donatiello I | 9.88 | ||
| NGC 2403 | 9.92 | 8.93 | 50,000 |
| NGC 404 | 10.05 | 11.21 | |
| ESO 274-01 | 10.1 | 11.7 | |
| GALFA-Dw4 | 10.1 | 15.7 | |
| KKH 22 | 10.17 | 15.28 | |
| NGC 3741 | 10.21 | 14.3 | |
| KK 35 | 10.31 | 17.2 | |
| HIPASS J1247-77 | 10.31 | 17.B | |
| NGC 2366 | 10.40 | 11.43 | |
| NGC 1569 (UGC 3056) | 10.40 | 11.86 | 6,000 |
| ESO 321-014 | 10.40 | 15.16 | |
| UGC 8833 | 10.41 | 16.5 | |
| Sculptor dIG (ESO 349-31) | 10.44 | 15.5 | |
| UGC 4483 | 10.47 | 15.2 | |
| dw0910p7326 (“Blobby”) | 10.47 | 15.96 | |
| UGCA 92 | 10.50 | 13 | |
| IC 342 | 10.70 | 9.37 | 75,000 |
| UGCA 15 (DDO 6) | 10.90 | 15.19 | |
| KKs 58 | 10.96 | ||
| KKH 37 (Mai 16) | 11.06 | 16.4 | |
| UGCA 105 | 11.06 | 13.9 | |
| Holmberg II (DDO 50, UGC 4305) | 11.06 | 11.1 | |
| NGC 5102 | 11.09 | 10.35 | |
| NGC 5237 | 11.09 | 13.23 | |
| ESO 325-11 | 11.09 | 13.99 | |
| ESO 540-030 (KDG 2) | 11.09 | 16.45 | |
| NGC 247 | 11.1 | 9.9 | |
| MADCASH-1 (MADCASH J074238+652501-dw) | 11.12 | 19.85 | |
| F6D1 (FM 1, PGC 3097828) | 11.15 | 17.5 | |
| ESO 540-032 | 11.15 | 16.55 | |
| ESO 383-087 (ISG 39) | 11.25 | 11.03 | |
| NGC 5206 | 11.32 | ||
| KK 179 (ESO 269-37) | 11.4 | ||
| Sculptor Galaxy (NGC 253) | 11.40 | 8.0 | 90,000 |
| DDO 71 (UGC 5428) | 11.42 | 18 | |
| Camelopardalis B | 11.46 | 16.1 | |
| Messier 82 | 11.42 | 9.30 | 37,000, possibly up to 100,000 |
| NGC 5253 | 11.51 | 10.9 | |
| M81 Dwarf A (KDG 52) | 11.58 | 16.5 | |
| KK 77 (F12D1) | 11.58 | 16.2 | |
| NGC 2976 | 11.61 | 10.82 | |
| Camelopardalis A | 11.61 |
