The brightest galaxies
TOP 50The brightest galaxy in this catalogue is Large Magellanic Cloud, at apparent magnitude 0.29 (V). Next are Small Magellanic Cloud and Andromeda Galaxy.
A handful of galaxies are visible to the naked eye from a dark site; the rest of this list wants binoculars or a telescope. Brightness here is apparent magnitude, so nearby dwarfs can outrank far larger galaxies behind them.
NAME
CLASS
MASS
DISTANCE
MAG
CONSTELLATION
Large Magellanic Cloud
Barred spiral galaxy SBm
—
—
0.29 V
Dorado
Small Magellanic Cloud
Barred spiral galaxy SBm
—
—
2.30 V
Tucana
Andromeda Galaxy★
Spiral galaxy Sb
—
2.537 Mly
3.44 V
Andromeda
Triangulum Galaxy★
Spiral galaxy Sc
—
2.730 Mly
5.79 V
Triangulum
Bode's Galaxy★
Spiral galaxy Sab
—
11.90 Mly
6.92 V
Ursa Major
PGC 10217
Spiral galaxy Sbc
—
—
7.10 B
Cassiopeia
Southern Pinwheel Galaxy
Spiral galaxy Sc
—
37.30 Mly
7.21 V
Hydra
Centaurus A★
Lenticular galaxy S0
—
12.00 Mly
7.22 V
Centaurus
Fornax Dwarf Spheroidal
Elliptical galaxy E
—
—
7.40 V
Fornax
PGC 9892
Lenticular galaxy S0pec
—
—
7.50 B
Cassiopeia
M101★
Intermediate spiral galaxy SABc
—
20.90 Mly
7.90 V
Ursa Major
M32
Elliptical galaxy E
—
—
8.13 V
Andromeda
M110★
Elliptical galaxy E
—
—
8.15 V
Andromeda
M94
Intermediate spiral galaxy SABa
—
—
8.24 V
Canes Venatici
M49
Elliptical galaxy E
—
60.20 Mly
8.28 V
Virgo
Cigar Galaxy★
Spiral galaxy S?
—
11.50 Mly
8.30 V
Ursa Major
Whirlpool Galaxy★
Intermediate spiral galaxy SABb
—
23.60 Mly
8.36 V
Canes Venatici
NGC 2403
Intermediate spiral galaxy SABc
—
—
8.43 V
Camelopardalis
Fornax A
Lenticular galaxy S0
—
77.88 Mly
8.48 V
Fornax
Black Eye Galaxy★
Intermediate spiral galaxy SABa
—
—
8.52 V
Coma Berenices
NGC 55
Barred spiral galaxy SBm
—
—
8.54 V
Sculptor
Sombrero Galaxy★
Spiral galaxy Sa
—
29.50 Mly
8.59 V
Virgo
Sculptor Dwarf Elliptical
Elliptical galaxy E
—
—
8.60 V
Sculptor
Sunflower Galaxy★
Spiral galaxy Sbc
—
33.01 Mly
8.61 V
Canes Venatici
NGC 300
Spiral galaxy Scd
—
—
8.66 V
Sculptor
NGC 1269
Lenticular galaxy S0-a
—
34.30 Mly
8.70 V
Eridanus
M60
Elliptical galaxy E
—
62.63 Mly
8.79 V
Virgo
M86
Elliptical galaxy E
—
—
8.86 V
Virgo
NGC 2903
Spiral galaxy Sbc
—
39.69 Mly
8.91 V
Leo
M66
Spiral galaxy Sb
—
49.04 Mly
8.92 V
Leo
ESO 093-003
Lenticular galaxy SO-a
—
71.30 Mly
9.00 B
Carina
Virgo Galaxy★
Elliptical galaxy E
—
53.50 Mly
9.00 V
Virgo
Fireworks Galaxy
Intermediate spiral galaxy SABc
—
—
9.05 V
Cygnus
M85
Lenticular galaxy S0-a
—
50.85 Mly
9.05 V
Coma Berenices
Spindle Galaxy
Elliptical galaxy E-S0
—
47.72 Mly
9.09 V
Sextans
NGC 3521
Intermediate spiral galaxy SABb
—
54.51 Mly
9.11 V
Leo
IC 127
Spiral galaxy Sb
—
73.07 Mly
9.20 V
Cetus
NGC 185
Elliptical galaxy E
—
—
9.20 V
Cassiopeia
M96
Spiral galaxy Sab
—
58.52 Mly
9.21 V
Leo
NGC 247
Intermediate spiral galaxy SABc
—
—
9.21 V
Cetus
PGC 2802329
Galaxy
—
47.19 Mly
9.21 B
Cygnus
Whale Galaxy
Barred spiral galaxy SBcd
—
40.54 Mly
9.24 V
Canes Venatici
NGC 6744
Spiral galaxy Sbc
—
37.34 Mly
9.25 V
Pavo
M105
Elliptical galaxy E
—
57.19 Mly
9.27 V
Leo
M106
Spiral galaxy Sbc
—
31.17 Mly
9.29 V
Canes Venatici
M77
Spiral galaxy Sb
—
42.92 Mly
9.29 V
Cetus
NGC 7793
Spiral galaxy Scd
—
—
9.29 V
Sculptor
M74
Spiral galaxy Sc
—
—
9.31 V
Pisces
NGC 1553
Lenticular galaxy S0
—
55.82 Mly
9.31 V
Dorado
M65
Spiral galaxy Sa
—
51.85 Mly
9.32 V
Leo