Introductory Astronomy: Galaxies

M100. Type Sc. Hubble Space Telescope view.

NGC 4881 is the elliptical galaxy at center.

M31 (Messier 31, NGC 221, or "The Andromeda Galaxy") is Sb. M32 to the south is E1, NGC 205 to the northwest is S0 or E7. Both small galaxies orbit around the much larger M31.

NGC 1530, SBb.

M 104 - Sombrero galaxy. Sa.

M 51 - whirlpool galaxy. Sc, with companion to the left often classified S0.

NGC 4565, an Sb galaxy seen edge-on.

NGC 4622, a "grand design spiral," type Sb.

NGC 5383, type SBa.

M32, type E1.

M74, or NGC 628, type Sc.

M49, type E2.

M87, type E0. Alternate view.

Sextans A, dwarf Irregular galaxy.

Clusters of Galaxies

Center of the Virgo cluster of galaxies. (V=1300 km/s)

Center of the Coma cluster of galaxies. (V=6000 km/s)

HST "Deep Field South"

Hard to classify!

Pegasus dwarf spheroidal. Very bright stars are nearby stars within the Milky Way.
The "Cartwheel galaxy" is a product of a just-passing-through collision between the cartwheel and one of the two galaxies to the right (we don't know which). The collision caused a ring-like shock wave to travel outwards through the galaxy.

"The Antennae" is an early-stage merger between two spiral galaxies. They will eventually merge to form one galaxy of type E, S0, or perhaps Sa.

NGC 253 is full of dust and gas and is rapidly turning itself into stars. Such galaxies are called starburst galaxies.

Centaurus A, classified E-peculiar. Another view.