This page lists some of the more interesting galaxy clusters and groups.
Defining the limits of galaxy clusters is imprecise as many clusters are still forming. In particular, clusters close to the Milky Way tend to be classified as galaxy clusters even when they are much smaller than more distant clusters.
Contents |
Galaxy cluster | Notes |
---|---|
Bullet Cluster | This collision between two galaxy clusters seems to have left a dark matter cluster in the space between them.[1] |
Abell 520 | This is actually a collision between two galaxy clusters. The galaxies and the dark matter seems to have separated out into separate dark and light cores.[2] |
Abell 2142 | A collision between two massive, X-ray luminous galaxy clusters. |
Cl 0024+17 ( ClG 0024+16 , ZwCl 0024+1652 ) |
This is a recently coalesced merger of galaxy clusters, which has resulted in a ring of dark matter around the galaxies, yet to be redistributed.[3][4] |
This is a list of galaxy clusters and groups that are well known by something other than an entry in a catalog or list, or a set of coordinates, or a systematic designation.
Galaxy cluster | Origin of name | Notes |
---|---|---|
Local Group | This is the galaxy group that we belong to. | |
Bullet Cluster | This is actually two galaxy clusters in collision. | |
Burbidge Chain | ||
Copeland Septet | ||
Deer Lick Group | Coined by Tomm Lorenzin (author of "1000+ The Amateur Astronomers' Field Guide to Deep Sky Observing") to honor Deer Lick Gap in the mountains of North Carolina, from which he had especially fine views of the galaxy group. | It is also called the NGC 7331 Group, after the brightest member of the group.[5] |
Leo Triplet | This is named for the fact it contains only three galaxies. | This small group of galaxies lies in the constellation Leo. |
Markarian's Chain | This stretch of galaxies forms part of the Virgo Supercluster. | |
Robert's Quartet | It was named by Halton Arp and Barry F. Madore, who compiled A Catalogue of Southern Peculiar Galaxies and Associations in 1987. | This is compact group of galaxies lies 160 million light-years away in the Phoenix constellation. |
Seyfert's Sextet | This is named after its discoverer, Carl Seyfert, and at the time it appeared to contain six external nebulae. It is also called the NGC 6027 Sextet, after its brightest element. | There are actually only five galaxies in the sextet, and only four galaxies in the compact group, one of the "galaxies" is actually part of another of the galaxies. The group is therefore more properly called HCG 79, because the name refers to a visual collection and not a cluster. HCG 79 lies 190 million light-years away in the Serpens Caput constellation. |
Stephan's Quintet (Stephan's Quartet) | This is named after its discoverer, Édouard Stephan. | There are actually only four galaxies in the compact group, the other galaxy is a foreground galaxy. The group is therefore more properly called HCG 92, because the name refers to a visual collection and not a cluster. Thus, the real group is also called Stephan's Quartet |
Wild's Triplet | ||
Zwicky's Triplet |
Major nearby groups and clusters are generally named after the constellation they lie in. Many groups and clusters are named after the leading galaxy in the group or cluster. This represents an ad hoc systematic naming system.
There is only one galaxy group or cluster visible to the naked eye, that would be our group of galaxies, the Local Group, if the requirement of visually sighting a cluster requires two or more galaxies. If the requirement also requires that the galaxies been somewhat close together in the sky, then no group or cluster is visually identifiable. However, the Magellanic Clouds, as a pair of galaxies, is visually discernible. The Maffei Group, the nearest galaxy group, would be visible by the naked eye if it were not obscured by the stars and dust clouds of the galactic nucleus.
Galaxy cluster | Number of visible galaxies | Notes |
---|---|---|
Local Group | 5 | If we exclude the Milky Way Galaxy, only 4 galaxies are visible to the naked-eye.[6] |
M81 Group | 1 | Only Bode's Galaxy (M81, NGC 3031) is visible to the naked-eye.[6][7] |
Centaurus A/M83 Group | 2 | Both Centaurus A and M83 have been seen with the naked eye [8][9] |
Sculptor Group (South Polar Group) | 1 | Only the Sculptor Galaxy (NGC 253) can be seen with the naked eye.[10] |
First | Galaxy cluster | Date | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
First galaxy cluster discovered | Virgo Cluster | 1784 | It was discovered by Charles Messier [11] |
First galaxy group discovered | |||
First compact galaxy group discovered | Stephan's Quartet (Stephan's Quintet) | 1877 | It was discovered by Edouard Stephan. |
First proto-cluster discovered | |||
First double galaxy discovered | Magellanic Clouds | antiquity |
Title | Galaxy cluster | Data | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Most distant galaxy cluster | ClG J1449+0856 | z=2.07 | [12][13][14] |
Nearest galaxy cluster | Virgo Cluster | This cluster is the core cluster of the galaxy supercluster our galaxy group belongs to. | |
Most distant galaxy group | |||
Nearest galaxy group | Local Group | 0 distance | This is the galaxy group that our galaxy belongs to. |
Nearest neighbouring galaxy group | |||
Most distant massive proto-cluster | COSMOS-AzTEC3 | z=5.3 12.6 billion light years |
[15][16] |
Least massive galaxy group | |||
Most massive galaxy cluster | RX J1347.5-1145 |
|
[17][18] |
Most massive distant galaxy cluster | 2XMM J083026+524133 |
|
The hottest, most X-ray luminous cluster at redshifts z ≥ 1 (z= 0.99 ± 0.03).[19] [17] |
Galaxy cluster | Distance | Spectral shift | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Local Group | 0 | 0 | This is the galaxy group that our galaxy belongs to. |
LGG 104 (IC 342/Maffei Group , IC 342 / Maffei 1 Group , IC 342 Maffei 1-2 Group) | z=0.000868 | The IC 342/Maffei Group contains two subgroups, the IC 342 subgroup (IC 342 Group) and the Maffei 1 subgroup (Maffei subgroup , Maffei 1 Group , Maffei Group). | |
M81 Group (NGC 3031 Group) | 11 Mly (3.5Mpsc) | z=0.001115 | [20] |
Centaurus A/M83 Group (Centarus A Group , M83 Group) | 12 Mly (3.66Mpsc) | z=0.000999 | The Centaurus A/M83 Group contains two subgroups, the Centaurus A subgroup (Centaurus A Group , NGC 5128 Group , LGG 344) and the M83 subgroup (M83 Group , NGC 5236 Group , LGG 355). |
Sculptor Group (South Polar Group) | 12.75 Mly (3.9Mpsc) | ||
Canes Venatici Group (Canes Venatici I Group , Canes I Group , M94 Group , NGC 4736 Group , LGG 291) | 13 Mly (4Mpsc) | z=0.001612 | |
NGC 1023 Group (LGG 70) | 20 Mly (6.12Mpsc) | z=0.002926 | |
M101 Group (NGC 5457 Group , LGG 371) | 24 Mly (7.33Mpsc) | z=0.001288 | |
NGC 2997 Group (LGG 180) | 25 Mly (7.66Mpsc) | z=0.002615 | |
Canes Venatici II Group (Canes II Group) | 26 Mly (8Mpsc) | ||
M51 Group (NGC 5194 Group , LGG 347) | 31 Mly (9.5Mpsc) | z=0.001850 | [20] |
Leo Triplet (M66 Group , NGC 3627 Group , LGG 231) | 35 Mly (10.75Mpsc) | z=0.002207 | |
Leo Group (Leo I Group , M96 Group , NGC 3379 Group , LGG 217) | 38 Mly (11.66Mpsc) | z=0.002267 | |
Draco Group | 40 Mly (12.25Mpsc) | ||
LGG 396 (NGC 5866 Group , NGC 5907 Group) | z=0.003020 | ||
Ursa Major Group (Ursa Major I Group , M109 Group , NGC 3992 Group , NGC 3726 Group , LGG 258) | 55 Mly (16.88Mpsc) | z=0.003388 | [20] |
|
Galaxy cluster | Distance | Notes |
---|---|---|
Virgo Cluster (Virgo I Cluster) | z=0.0038 59 Mly (18Mpsc) |
This is the core cluster of the supercluster our galaxy group belongs to.[21] |
Fornax Cluster (Abell S 373 , AM 0336-353 , MCL 52) | z=0.0046 |
[21] |
Antlia Cluster (Abell S 636) | z=0.0087 32.66 Mly (10Mpsc) |
Also called the Antlia Group. |
Centaurus Cluster (Abell 3526 , Cl 1247-4102) | z=0.0110 |
[21] |
Hydra Cluster (Hydra I Cluster , Abell 1060 , Cl 1034-2716) | z=0.0114 |
[21] |
|
Galaxy cluster | Date | Distance | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Local Group | always (closest group or cluster)
1936 − eternity |
0 for reference | Components of the Local Group have always been visible in the night sky. However, the Local Group as a group was identified in 1936. This is the closest cluster to us, as our galaxy is a member of it.[11] |
M81 Group (NGC 3031 Group) | 11 Mly (3.5Mpsc) | [20][22] | |
M83 Group (NGC 5236 Group , LGG 355) | The BCG of this subgroup had its redshift determined early on. | ||
Virgo Cluster |
|
59 Mly (18Mpsc) | This was the first noted cluster of "nebulae" that would become galaxies. Galaxies were not identified as such until the 1920s. This is still the nearest cluster of galaxies to us.[11] |
|
Galaxy cluster | Distance | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|
|
Galaxy cluster | Date | Distance | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
CL J1449+0856 (ClG J1449+0856) |
2011- | z=2.07 | [12][13][14] |
JKCS 041 | 2009–2011 | z=1.9 | |
XMMXCS 2215-1738 (XMMXCS 2215.9-1738) | 2006–2009 | z=1.45 | XMM-XCS 2215-1738 was also the most massive early cluster so far discovered.[23][24] |
ISCS J143809+341419 | 2005–2006 | z=1.41 | [25][26] |
XMMU J2235.3-2557 | 2005 | z=1.393 | [27][28][29][30] |
RDCS 0848+4453 ( RDCS0848.6+4453 , RX J0848+4453 , ClG 0848+4453 ) | 1997 - | z=1.276 | ClG 0848+4453 forms a double-cluster supercluster with RDCS J0849+4452 [31][32][33][34][35] |
galaxy cluster around 3C 324 (3C 234 Cluster) | 1984 - | z=1.206 | At the time, the BCG, 3C324 was the most distant non-quasar galaxy.[36] |
Cl 1409+524 | 1960 − 1975 | z=0.461 | The measurement of 3C295's redshift in 1960 also defined its cluster's position. 3C 295 was also the most distant galaxy of the time.[37][38] |
Abell 732 (fainter Hydra Cluster Cl 0855+0321) | 1951 − 1960 | z=0.2 (V=61000 km/s) | Attempts at measuring the redshift of the brightest cluster galaxy of this Hydra Cluster had been attempted for years before it had been successfully achieved. The BCG was also the most distant galaxy of the time.[37][39][40][41] |
Abell 1930 (Bootes Cluster) | 1936 − 1951 | z=0.13 (V=39000 km/s) | The BCG of this cluster was also the most distant galaxy of the time.[40][42] |
Gemini Cluster (Abell 568) | 1932 − 1936 | z=0.075 (V=23000 km/s) |
The BCG of this cluster was the most distant galaxy at the time.[42][43] |
WH Christie's Leo Cluster | 1931 − 1932 | z= (V=19700 km/s) |
The BCG of this cluster was the most distant galaxy known at the time.[40][43][44][45][46] |
Baede's Ursa Major Cluster | 1930 − 1931 | z= (V=11700 km/s) |
The BCG of this cluster was the highest redshift galaxy of the time.[46][47] |
Coma Cluster | 1929 − 1930 | z=0.026 (V=7800 km/s) |
This cluster's distance was determined by one of the NGC objects lying in it, NGC4860.[47][48] |
Pegasus Group (LGG 473 , NGC 7619 Group) | 1929 | z=0.012 (V=3779 km/s) |
The BCG for this group was used to measure its redshift. Shortly after this was publicized, it was accepted that redshifts were an acceptable measure of inferred distance.[49] |
Cetus Group (Holmberg 45 , LGG 27) | 1921 − 1929 | z=0.006 (V=1800 km/s) |
NGC 584 (Dreyer 584) was measured for the redshift to this galaxy group.[49][50][51][52] |
Virgo Cluster | 1784 − 1921 | 59 Mly (18Mpsc) z=0.003 (V=1200 km/s) |
This was the first noted cluster of "nebulae" that would become galaxies. The first redshifts to galaxies in the cluster were measured in the 1910s. Galaxies were not identified as such until the 1920s. The distance to the Virgo Cluster would have to wait until the 1930s.[11] |
|
Galaxy cluster | Distance | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|
|
Galaxy protocluster | Date | Distance | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
COSMOS-AzTEC3 | 2011 - | z=5.3 | Located in Sextans, the cluster appears to contain 11 young small galaxies.[16][61] |
proto-cluster around radio-galaxy TN J1338-1942 | 2002 - | z=4.11 | It was described as the most distant cluster.[62][63][64][65] |
proto-cluster around 3C 368 | 1982 - | z=1.13 | [66] |
|
Through researching of galaxy association, sometimes clusters are put forward that are not genuine clusters or superclusters, but rather random collections of groups that chance alignment makes it seem is a cluster.
Galaxy cluster | Notes |
---|---|
Cancer Cluster | The Cancer Cluster was found to be a random assortment of galaxy groups, and not a true cluster.[11] |
Coma-Virgo Cloud | The early identification of the Coma-Virgo Cloud of Nebulae was actually a mistaken identification due to the superposition of the Virgo Supercluster and Coma Supercluster, and not a Coma-Virgo Supercluster |
|