which is the nearest galaxy to us?

Answer 1

The two large galaxies nearest to us in the Local Group are M31 (Andromeda Galaxy). a barred spiral galaxy at 2.56 million light years distance and M33 (Triangulum Galaxy) a spiral galaxy at 2.64 million light years distance.

They are however only the 31st and 32nd nearest galaxies if the definition of "galaxy" includes smaller satellite galaxies:

1. Canis Major Dwarf Galaxy 25,000 light years away
2. Virgo Stellar Stream 30,000 light years away
3. Sagittarius Dwarf Elliptical Galaxy 81,000 light years away
4. Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) 168,000 light years away
5. Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) 200,000 light years away

6. Ursa Minor Dwarf Galaxy 240,000 light years away
7. Sculptor Dwarf Galaxy 254,000 light years away
8. Draco Dwarf Galaxy 280,000 light years away
9. Sextans Dwarf Galaxy 320,000 light years away
10. Ursa Major Dwarf 330,000 light years away

11. Carina Dwarf Galaxy 360,000 light years away
12. Fornax Dwarf Galaxy 460,000 light years away
13. Leo II Dwarf Galaxy 680,000 light years away
14. Leo I Dwarf Galaxy 820,000 light years away
15. Phoenix Dwarf Galaxy 1,300,000 light years away

16. Barnard's Galaxy (NGC 6822) 1,630,000 light years away
17. NGC 185 2,010,000 light years away
18. Andromeda II 2,130,000 light years away
19. NGC 147 2,200,000 light years away
20. Leo A 2,250,000 light years away

21. IC 1613 2,350,000 light years away
22. Andromeda I 2,430,000 light years away
23. Andromeda III 2,440,000 light years away
24. Cetus Dwarf 2,460,000 light years away
25. M32 (NGC 221) 2,480,000 light years away

26. Andromeda VII 2,490,000 light years away
27. Andromeda IX 2,500,000 light years away
28. LGS 3 2,510,000 light years away
29. Andromeda V 2,520,000 light years away
30. Andromeda VI 2,550,000 light years away

31. Andromeda Galaxy (M31) 2,560,000 light years away
32. Triangulum Galaxy (M33) 2,640,000 light years away. Most distant naked eye object.

Answer 2

The Andromeda Galaxy is no longer the nearest known galaxy. But, I'm pretty sure it is still the nearest galaxy that can be seen with the naked eye.

Use an astronomy web site like www.skypub.com to find the Great Square of Pegasus. Off of one corner (use the sky chart from online), you'll find the Andromeda constellation. Use two stars in that constellation to find the Andromeda Galaxy.

You'll need dark skies (take a trip to the hills or mountains, away from major cities), and a clear night. Low humidity in the atmosphere will also help your seeing.

It will be a little blob of hazy light, but you can definitely see that it is there! You can use a telescope, using low magnification so you'll get a wider field of view, to see it better.

Once you've found it, you can tell your friends that you must have good eyesight, because you can see over 2 million light years away!

I'm pretty sure the Canis Major dwarf galaxy is still closest at 25,000 light years, but it's light is in infrared mostly, so we can't see it naked eye.

Answer 3

The closest is now Canis Major Dwarf Galaxy which is one of the galaxies orbiting Milky Way. The nearest independent galaxy is Andromeda, I think.

Answer 4

Leaving aside the dwarf galaxies, the closest galaxy to ours are the irregular shaped small and large Magellanic clouds. These are only visible from the southern skies, and were first noted by Magellan, during his voyage. In the Northern skies, the closest is the Andromeda Galaxy, a spiral shape galaxy like our own.

Answer 5

That one comes up regularly, you could've saved points by searching. Anyways:

Technically, the Milky Way itself, but I presume you meant to exclude that.

Closest to "us" meaning Earth/sun: Canis Major dwarf irregular (25,000 light years from Earth/sun; 42,000 lyr from galactic center)

I'm not sure if it's actually the nearest to the galactic center though, because i can't find a galactocentric distance for the Virgo Stellar Stream (30,000 lyr from Earth/sun, but might be less than 42,000 from the galactic center)

And because I know some have never heared of these minor dwarf galaxies or even the Magellanic clouds: Their answer will be Andromeda at about 2 million lyr. That's the closest major galaxy.

Answer 6

The closest galaxies are the Magellanic Clouds,obvious naked-eye objects deep in the southern skies.

Near the Small Cloud, is brilliant nearby globular cluster 47 Tucanae . There are, of course, many wonderful features to be found within the Clouds. For example, they have a population of very blue and very populous star clusters, sometimes called "Blue Globulars" to honor the suspicion that they might, in fact, be progenitors of what will one day resemble galactic globular clusters.

Answer 7

I believe it is the Sagittarius Dwarf Galaxy, which is currently being absorbed by the Milky Way. It has a distance of around 70,000 light years.

Answer 8

Andromeda

Answer 9

the arkady is right, the dwarf galaxies are much closer than andromeda

Answer 10

Andromeda Galaxy, it's the only one visible from earth.