Galaxies are vast systems of billions of stars, gas and dark matter, bound together by their own gravity. From a faint smudge in the eyepiece to finely resolved spiral arms on the sensor, few classes of object show such variety. The spectrum runs from spiral galaxies like the Andromeda Galaxy through barred spirals and elliptical galaxies to interacting systems where two galaxies pull and distort one another. Many of these objects appear in the Messier and NGC catalogs and are rewarding targets even with smaller telescopes. Galaxies are among the most demanding subjects in astrophotography: small, faint and requiring long exposures under dark skies. That is exactly what makes them so fascinating to me. This page gathers every galaxy I have photographed so far. Click into any object to learn more about it and see all the astrophoto posts it appears in.
Arp 120 – The Eyes
The Eyes is a spiral galaxy in the constellation Virgo, located 54.5 million light-years from Earth, and reaches its annual culmination at astronomical midnight and is best observed late March ...
Caldwell 3
C 3 is a galaxy located in the constellation Draco at a distance of 14.4 million light-years, reaches its annual culmination at astronomical midnight and is best observed late March ...
Caldwell 5 – Hidden Galaxy
The Hidden Galaxy is a spiral galaxy in Camelopardalis, located 13.4 million light-years away, and reaches its annual culmination at astronomical midnight and is best observed mid November ...
Caldwell 7
C 7 is a spiral galaxy in the constellation Camelopardalis, lying roughly 10.1 million light-years away, and reaches its annual culmination at astronomical midnight and is best observed mid January ...
Caldwell 12 – Firework Galaxy
The Firework Galaxy is a spiral galaxy in the constellation Cygnus, located about 17.9 million light-years away, and reaches its annual culmination at astronomical midnight and is best observed late July ...
Caldwell 38 – Needle Galaxy
The Needle Galaxy is a barred spiral galaxy in the constellation Coma Berenices, lying about 55.4 million light-years away, and it reaches its annual culmination at astronomical midnight and is best observed late March ...
Messier 31 – Andromeda Galaxy
The Andromeda Galaxy is a barred spiral galaxy in the constellation Andromeda, located 2.5 million light-years away, and reaches its annual culmination at astronomical midnight and is best observed early October ...
Messier 32
Messier 32 is a dwarf elliptical galaxy located in the constellation Andromeda, approximately 2.49 million light-years from Earth, and reaches its annual culmination at astronomical midnight in early October ...
Messier 33 – Triangulum Galaxy
Messier 33, also known as the Triangulum Galaxy, is a spiral galaxy located in the constellation Triangulum, approximately 2.73 million light-years from Earth, and reaches its annual culmination at astronomical midnight mid October ...
Messier 51 – Whirlpool Galaxy
The Whirlpool Galaxy is a spiral galaxy in the constellation Canes Venatici, lying some 26.1 million light-years away, reaches its annual culmination at astronomical midnight and is best observed mid April ...
Messier 58
M 58 is a barred spiral galaxy in the constellation Virgo, located about 54.5 million light-years away, and it reaches its annual culmination at astronomical midnight and is best observed late March ...
Messier 59
M 59 is an elliptical galaxy in the constellation Virgo, lying about 62.4 million light-years away, and reaches its annual culmination at astronomical midnight and is best observed late March ...
Messier 60
M 60 is a lenticular galaxy in the constellation Virgo, located about 56.4 million light-years away, reaches its annual culmination at astronomical midnight and is best observed late March ...
Messier 64 – Black Eye Galaxy
The Black Eye Galaxy is a barred spiral galaxy in the constellation Coma Berenices, located about 13.4 million light-years away, and it reaches its annual culmination at astronomical midnight and is best observed early April ...
Messier 65
M 65 is a barred spiral galaxy in the constellation Leo, lying about 27.0 million light-years away, and reaches its annual culmination at astronomical midnight and is best observed early March ...
Messier 66
M 66 is a barred spiral galaxy in the constellation Leo, lying about 23.9 million light-years away, and it reaches its annual culmination at astronomical midnight and is best observed early March ...
Messier 81 – Bode’s Galaxy
Bode's Galaxy is a spiral galaxy in the constellation Ursa Major, located about 13.4 million light-years away, and reaches its annual culmination at astronomical midnight and is best observed mid February ...
Messier 82 – Cigar Galaxy
The Cigar Galaxy is a spiral galaxy in the constellation Ursa Major, located about 15.9 million light-years away, and reaches its annual culmination at astronomical midnight and is best observed mid February ...
Messier 84
M 84 is a Seyfert galaxy in the constellation Virgo, located about 54.8 million light-years away, and reaches its annual culmination at astronomical midnight and is best observed late March ...
Messier 86
M 86 is a galaxy in the constellation Virgo lying about 54.5 million light-years away, and it reaches its annual culmination at astronomical midnight and is best observed late March ...
Messier 87 – Virgo Galaxy
The Virgo Galaxy is a Seyfert-type galaxy in the constellation Virgo, lying about 64.4 million light-years away, and reaches its annual culmination at astronomical midnight and is best observed late March ...
Messier 88
M 88 is a spiral galaxy in the constellation Coma Berenices, located about 65.1 million light-years away, and it reaches its annual culmination at astronomical midnight and is best observed late March ...
Messier 89
M 89 is a lenticular galaxy in the constellation Virgo, lying about 63.2 million light-years away, and reaches its annual culmination at astronomical midnight and is best observed late March ...
Messier 90
M 90 is a Seyfert galaxy in the constellation Virgo, lying about 29.4 million light-years away, and reaches its annual culmination at astronomical midnight and is best observed late March ...
Messier 91
M 91 is a barred spiral galaxy in the constellation Coma Berenices, lying about 54.5 million light-years away, and reaches its annual culmination at astronomical midnight and is best observed late March ...
Messier 95
M 95 is a barred spiral galaxy in the constellation Leo, located about 32.6 million light-years away, and reaches its annual culmination at astronomical midnight and is best observed early March ...
Messier 96
M 96 is a barred spiral galaxy in the constellation Leo, lying about 34.0 million light-years away, and reaches its annual culmination at astronomical midnight and is best observed early March ...
Messier 101 – Pinwheel Galaxy
The Pinwheel Galaxy is an interacting spiral galaxy in the constellation Ursa Major, located about 21.9 million light-years away, and reaches its annual culmination at astronomical midnight and is best observed late April ...
Messier 105
M 105 is an elliptical galaxy in the constellation Leo, located about 26.4 million light-years away, and reaches its annual culmination at astronomical midnight and is best observed early March ...
Messier 106
M 106 is a barred spiral galaxy in the constellation Canes Venatici, located about 24.5 million light-years away, and reaches its annual culmination at astronomical midnight and is best observed late March ...
Messier 108 – Surfboard Galaxy
The Surfboard Galaxy is a spiral galaxy in the constellation Ursa Major, located about 27.1 million light-years away, and reaches its annual culmination at astronomical midnight and is best observed early March ...
Messier 110
Messier 110 is a dwarf elliptical galaxy located in the constellation Andromeda, approximately 2.69 million light-years from Earth, and reaches its annual culmination at astronomical midnight in early October ...
NGC 2976
NGC 2976 is a spiral galaxy located in the constellation Ursa Major at a distance of 13.4 million light-years, reaches its annual culmination at astronomical midnight and is best observed mid February ...
NGC 3077 – Garland Galaxy
The Garland Galaxy is a spiral galaxy in the constellation Ursa Major, located about 12.4 million light-years away, and reaches its annual culmination at astronomical midnight and is best observed mid February ...
NGC 3628 – Hamburger Galaxy
The Hamburger Galaxy is a barred spiral galaxy in the constellation Leo, located about 38.8 million light-years away, and reaches its annual culmination at astronomical midnight and is best observed early March ...
UGC 5470 – Leo I Dwarf Galaxy
The Leo I Dwarf Galaxy is a faint dwarf galaxy in the constellation Leo, lying about 828,000 light-years away, and reaches its annual culmination at astronomical midnight and is best observed mid February ...
Markarian’s Chain
Markarian's Chain is a visually striking alignment of galaxies in the Virgo constellation, showcasing a series of gravitationally interacting galaxies, such as Messier 84 and Messier 86. It reaches its annual culmination at astronomical midnight around mid April ...