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.
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.
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.
The Hidden Galaxy is a spiral galaxy in the constellation Camelopardalis, lying about 13.4 million light-years away, and reaches its annual culmination at astronomical midnight and is best observed mid November.
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.
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.
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.
The Andromeda Galaxy is a barred spiral galaxy in the constellation Andromeda, lying about 2.5 million light-years away, and reaches its annual culmination at astronomical midnight and is best observed early October.
M 32 is a compact elliptical galaxy in the constellation Andromeda, located about 13.4 million light-years away, that reaches its annual culmination at astronomical midnight and is best observed early October.
The Triangulum Galaxy is a spiral galaxy in the constellation Triangulum, lying about 13.4 million light-years away, and reaches its annual culmination at astronomical midnight and is best observed mid October.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
M 110 is a dwarf elliptical galaxy in the constellation Andromeda, lying about 13.4 million light-years away, and reaches its annual culmination at astronomical midnight and is best observed early October.
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.
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.
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.
