Galaxies have some awesome names. Many of the names of these galaxies come from mythology and they do have some really great stories behind naming these galaxies so. Some of the galaxies are named just because of their shape & size. Let’s see how these galaxies get their names.
How Galaxies are named?
Our universe is full of galaxies and stars. In the observable universe, there are 100 Billion Galaxies out there. It is not possible to name all the 100 billion galaxies. So they are given some alphanumeric designations. Many galaxies are named according to the constellations they are in or they are named after their inventor.
Usually, most of these galaxies are named according to the number they are included in the catalog. These catalogs are the result of sky surveys for multiple purposes & are maintained by International Astronomical Union. For example, there is a Messier catalog, NGC (New General Catalog), PGC (Principle Galaxy Catalog), UGC (Uppsala General catalog), etc. So, a single galaxy can be in multiple catalogs.
Example
For Example, Andromeda Galaxy is named Andromeda, because it is in the Andromeda constellation. The same Andromeda galaxy is in the Messier catalog at 31 numbers. Thus the other designation for the Andromeda galaxy is M31. This galaxy is also in NGC, PGC & UGC catalogs and has other names such as NGC 224, PGC 2557 & UGC 454.
Another example is our own Galaxy is named Milky Way. Long ago, the Romans named the galaxy “via lactea”, which translates to “road of milk.” This is because our galaxy looks like a milky patch of sky above the earth.
List of all Galaxy Names
Usually, these specially named galaxies are named after the name of their inventor. So, here is a full list of galaxies that are well-known and are named other than the catalog names.
| Galaxy | Constellation | Origin of name | Other Designation |
| Andromeda Galaxy | Andromeda | It got its name from the area of the sky in which it appears, the constellation of Andromeda. | M31, NGC 224, PGC2557, UGC 454 |
| Antennae Galaxies | Corvus | Appearance is similar to an insect’s antennae. | Ringtail Galaxy, NGC 4038 & 4039, PGC 37967 & 37969, UGCA 264/265 |
| Backward Galaxy | Centaurus | This galaxy appears rotating backward. | PGC 42701 |
| Black Eye Galaxy | Coma Berenices | In front of the nucleus of the galaxy, there is a huge amount of dust which makes it look like a “Black Eye” or “Evil Eye” galaxy. | Evil Eye Galaxy, M64, NGC 4826, PGC 44182, UGC 8062 |
| Bode’s Galaxy | Ursa Major | It is named after astronomer Johann Elert Bode. He discovered this galaxy in 1774. | NGC 3031, UGC 5318, PGC 28630 |
| Butterfly Galaxies | Virgo | It looks like a butterfly. | NGC 4567/8, UGC 7776/7, PGC 42064/9, VV 219] KPG 347, Siamese Twin Galaxies |
| Cartwheel Galaxy | Sculptor | The whole galaxy looks like a spoked cartwheel. You find these wheels in old bullock carts. | PGC 2248 |
| Cigar Galaxy | Ursa Major | Appears similar in shape to a cigar. | NGC 3034, UGC 5322, PGC 28655 |
| Circinus Galaxy | Circinus | It is Named after the constellation it is located in. | LEDA 50779 |
| Coma Pinwheel Galaxy | Coma Benerices | It looks similar to Pinwheel Galaxy and it is located in the Coma Benerices constellation. | M99, NGC 4254, PGC 39578, UGC 7345 |
| Comet Galaxy | Sculptor | This galaxy has an appearance like a comet. | IC 3418 |
| Condor Galaxy | Pavo | It is named after a condor, a type of vulture that is one of the largest flying birds. | LEDA 64413, NGC 6872 |
| Cosmos Redshift 7 | Sextans | The name of this galaxy is based on a Redshift (z) measurement of nearly 7 (actually, z = 6.604). | Galaxy CR7 |
| Eye of Sauron | Canes Venatici | It resembles the Eye of Sauron from “The Lord of the Rings”. | NGC 4151, UGC 7166, PGC 38739 |
| Fireworks Galaxy | Cygnus and Cepheus | It is very bright and looks like fireworks going on. | NGC 6946, UGC 11597, PGC 65001, Arp 29 |
| Hockey Stick Galaxies | Canes Venatici | Its appearance resembles a hockey stick. | NGC 4656/7, UGC 7907, PGC 42863 |
| Hoag’s Object | Serpens Caput | It was discovered by “Art Hoag” & named after him. | PGC 54559 |
| Large Magellanic Cloud | Dorado/Mensa | Named after its inventor “Ferdinand Magellan” | PGC 17223 |
| Lindsay-Shapley Ring | Volans | It is named after its discoverer, Eric Lindsay, his professor Harlow Shapley, and its nature as a ring galaxy. | AM 0644-741, PGC 19481, |
| Little Sombrero Galaxy | Pegasus | This galaxy looks like a “Sombrero Galaxy”, but a smaller one. | NGC 7814, Caldwell 43, UGC 8, PGC 218 |
| Malin 1 | Coma Berenices | It is named after its discoverer “David Malin”. | PGC 42102, LEDA 42102, VPC 1091 |
| Medusa Merger | Ursa Major | There were snakes in Greek mythology Medusa. It is named after them. | NGC 4194, UGC 7241, PGC 39068 |
| Sculptor Dwarf Galaxy | Sculptor | Similar to the Sculpture Galaxies | PGC 3589, MCG-06-03-015 |
| Mice Galaxies | Coma Berenices | It resembles a mouse. | NGC 4676A & NGC 4676B, IC 819 & 820, UGC 7938 & 7939,, PGC 43062 & 43065 |
| Small Magellanic Cloud | Tucana | Named after its inventor “Ferdinand Magellan” | NGC 292, PGC 3085 |
| Mayall’s Object | Ursa Major | Nicholas Mayall discovered this galaxy & it is named after him. | Arp 148, APG 148, VV 032 |
| Milky Way | Sagittarius (center) | The appearance from Earth of the galaxy a band of light | |
| Needle Galaxy | Coma Berenices | It looks like a needle & very slender in appearance. | NGC 4565, UGC 7772, PGC 42038 |
| Wolf-Lundmark-Melotte | Cetus | Wolf, Lundmark, and Melotte these three astronomers discovered this galaxy. | UGCA 444, PGC 143 |
| Pinwheel Galaxy | Ursa Major | It looks like a pinwheel (toy). | M101, NGC 5457, UGC 8981, PGC 50063 |
| Sculptor Galaxy | Sculptor | It is named after its location in the Sculptor constellation. | NGC 253, UGCA 13, PGC 2789 |
| Sombrero Galaxy | Virgo | It looks like a “Sombrero”. | M104, NGC 4594, UGC 293, PGC 42407 |
| Southern Pinwheel Galaxy | Hydra | It resembles the Pinwheel Galaxy and is located in the southern celestial hemisphere. | M83, NGC 5236, PGC 48082, UGCA 366 |
| Sunflower Galaxy | Canes Venatici | It looks like a sunflower. | M63, NGC 5055, PGC 46153, UGC 8334 |
| Tadpole Galaxy | Draco | It resembles a tadpole. | UGC 10214, PGC 57129 |
| Triangulum Galaxy | Triangulum | Because it is located in the Triangulum constellation. | M33, NGC 0598, UGC 1117, PGC 5818 |
| Whirlpool Galaxy | Canes Venatici | It looks like a Whirlpool. | Question Mark Galaxy, Rosse’s Galaxy, M51a, NGC 5194, UGC 8493, PGC 47404, |
Do you know? James Webb telescope has recently found 6 new galaxies, these galaxies are very different and challenge the previous idea of the formation of galaxies.
