The 10 Largest Galaxies In The Universe
Here are the ten largest galaxies in the universe, known for their vast sizes, massive collections of stars, and complex structures. These galaxies vary greatly in shape and size, with some being hundreds of times larger than our own Milky Way galaxy.
1. IC 1101
- Type: Supergiant Elliptical Galaxy
- Location: Abell 2029 Galaxy Cluster, 1.04 billion light-years away
- Diameter: 6 million light-years
- Number of Stars: Estimated to contain 100 trillion stars
- Characteristics:
- IC 1101 is the largest known galaxy in the universe, located in the center of the Abell 2029 galaxy cluster.
- It is an enormous elliptical galaxy with a mass about 100 times that of the Milky Way.
- Its vast halo of stars stretches out millions of light-years, extending far beyond most other galaxies.
2. Hercules A (3C 348)
- Type: Giant Elliptical Radio Galaxy
- Location: Hercules constellation, 2.1 billion light-years away
- Diameter: 1.5 million light-years
- Characteristics:
- Known for its powerful jets of radio waves, Hercules A is one of the most massive galaxies with an active supermassive black hole at its center.
- The galaxy’s jets stretch over 1.5 million light-years, making it one of the largest radio galaxies in the universe.
3. A2261-BCG
- Type: Supergiant Elliptical Galaxy
- Location: Abell 2261 Galaxy Cluster, 3.2 billion light-years away
- Diameter: 1 million light-years
- Characteristics:
- A2261-BCG is one of the largest galaxies by volume and is located in the Abell 2261 galaxy cluster.
- It has an enormous central core, which has led astronomers to believe it may have undergone significant galaxy mergers.
- Its central black hole is mysteriously missing, which is a subject of ongoing research.
4. ESO 146-5
- Type: Giant Elliptical Galaxy
- Location: Indus constellation, 2.2 billion light-years away
- Diameter: 1 million light-years
- Characteristics:
- ESO 146-5 is another colossal elliptical galaxy, located in a dense galaxy cluster.
- It is one of the largest known members of the massive Abell 3827 galaxy cluster, dominating its environment.
5. NGC 4874
- Type: Supergiant Elliptical Galaxy
- Location: Coma Cluster, 320 million light-years away
- Diameter: 750,000 light-years
- Characteristics:
- NGC 4874 is one of the two central galaxies in the Coma Cluster, a large cluster of galaxies.
- It contains hundreds of thousands of globular clusters, far more than typical galaxies, and is surrounded by a dense cloud of stars and gas.
6. NGC 4889
- Type: Supergiant Elliptical Galaxy
- Location: Coma Cluster, 308 million light-years away
- Diameter: 700,000 light-years
- Characteristics:
- NGC 4889 is the other dominant galaxy in the Coma Cluster.
- It is home to one of the largest black holes ever discovered, with an estimated mass of 21 billion solar masses.
- NGC 4889 is a relatively quiet galaxy, meaning it shows little star formation or activity in its core.
7. UGC 2885 (Rubin’s Galaxy)
- Type: Giant Spiral Galaxy
- Location: Perseus constellation, 232 million light-years away
- Diameter: 800,000 light-years
- Number of Stars: Approximately 1 trillion stars
- Characteristics:
- UGC 2885 is a giant spiral galaxy, much larger than the Milky Way.
- It is often referred to as "Rubin’s Galaxy" in honor of astronomer Vera Rubin, who discovered dark matter.
- This galaxy is relatively quiet, with low star formation rates compared to other spirals.
8. Malin 1
- Type: Giant Low Surface Brightness Spiral Galaxy (LSB)
- Location: Coma Berenices constellation, 1.19 billion light-years away
- Diameter: 650,000 light-years
- Characteristics:
- Malin 1 is one of the largest and most mysterious spiral galaxies, with an extremely faint disk and very low surface brightness.
- Despite its size, it is difficult to observe because it emits relatively little light, and most of its mass is in its faint outer regions.
9. Centaurus A (NGC 5128)
- Type: Giant Elliptical Galaxy
- Location: Centaurus constellation, 12 million light-years away
- Diameter: 600,000 light-years (including outer halo)
- Characteristics:
- Centaurus A is one of the closest giant galaxies to Earth and is known for its unusual structure, believed to be the result of a past merger between a spiral galaxy and an elliptical galaxy.
- It emits strong radio and X-ray radiation, indicating high-energy processes occurring around its central supermassive black hole.
10. M87 (Messier 87 or Virgo A)
- Type: Supergiant Elliptical Galaxy
- Location: Virgo Cluster, 53.5 million light-years away
- Diameter: 600,000 light-years
- Characteristics:
- M87 is famous for its massive black hole, which was the subject of the first-ever image of a black hole's event horizon, captured in 2019.
- It is a dominant member of the Virgo Cluster, the nearest large galaxy cluster to the Milky Way.
- M87 has an extensive system of globular clusters and a jet of particles extending from its core that is visible in radio and optical wavelengths.
Summary:
These ten galaxies are the largest known in the universe, ranging from 600,000 to 6 million light-years in diameter. While some are spiral galaxies, the largest ones tend to be supergiant elliptical galaxies, typically found in the centers of large galaxy clusters. They contain vast numbers of stars, some housing trillions of stars, and most have supermassive black holes at their centers. These galaxies provide key insights into the evolution and structure of the universe.
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