List of nearest galaxies

This is a list of galaxies nearest to Earth.

Note that 'near' in intergalactic terms still means thousands or millions of light years away (in comparison to say, the moon, which is about one light second away). Galaxies occur in groups or clusters - the nearest 40 or so galaxies on this list are all members of the Local Group and beyond that they are generally classed as belonging to one of the neighbouring clusters such as the M81 or Centaurus A Groups.

The reader should be aware that there are certain unavoidable difficulties with this list.
*It is incomplete. Previously unknown objects are being discovered all the time. The reader will see that even some of the closest items are among the latest found. Satellite galaxies of the Milky Way located at the far side of our galaxy are extremely difficult to discern through the bulk of our home system. In fact it is possible for "any" galaxy to mask another located beyond it.
*Although the editors have combed the literature, it is certainly possible that already discovered galaxies have escaped our notice and, thus, not yet been listed.
*Distance measurements, like most measurements, entail error bars. The list includes what are considered to be the latest and the best, but are not to be taken as final. Many methods are employed to determine galactic-scale distances. Figures listed are composites of four, five, or sometimes eight separate methods, some of which have had their error bars tightened to the point of no longer overlapping with some other methods' bars. Also, many methods determine distance to a point in a galaxy, which itself must be measured relative to the rest of that galaxy (see next item).I. D. Karachentsev "et al."(2004) "A Catalog of Neighboring Galaxies" Refinements in distance measurements could change the order presented in this list.]
*A galaxy is an immense object. The distances from the closest edge – an ill-defined spot in itself – to the galactic core spans thousands, possibly up to a quarter million, lightyears. The distance estimates, therefore, are merely to some spot within the galaxies.
*Please note that these distances are from Earth. A satellite galaxy of the Milky Way on our side of our galaxy may well be listed as closer than one on the far side which is actually orbiting closer in to the Galactic core. This discrepancy might be compounded for a dwarf galaxy embedded in, and being cannibalized by, the Milky Way.

"Caveat lector."

ee also

* Galaxy
* Local Group
* List of galaxies
* list of spiral galaxies
* list of nearest stars

Notes

References

cite journal
author=Belokurov, V. "et al."
title=A Faint New Milky Way Satellite in Bootes
journal=The Astrophysical Journal
year=2006
volume=647
issue=2
pages=L111–L114
url=http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-bib_query?bibcode=2006ApJ...647L.111B
doi=10.1086/507324

cite journal
author=Dolphin, A. E. "et al."
year=2003
month=March
title=Deep Hubble Space Telescope Imaging of Sextans A. II. Cepheids and Distance
journal=The Astronomical Journal
volume=125
issue=3
pages=1261–1290
url=http://www.iop.org/EJ/article/1538-3881/125/3/1261/202477.html
doi=10.1086/346279

cite journal
author=Karachentsev, I. D. "et al."
year=2002
title=The M 81 group of galaxies: New distances, kinematics and structure
journal=Astronomy and Astrophysics
volume=383
pages=125–136
url=http://www.edpsciences.org/articles/aa/pdf/2002/07/aa1940.pdf?access=ok
doi=10.1051/0004-6361:20011741

cite journal
author=Karachentsev, I. D. "et al."
title=New distances to galaxies in the Centaurus A group
journal=Astronomy and Astrophysics
year=2002
volume=385
pages=21–31
url=http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2002A&A...385...21K
doi=10.1051/0004-6361:20020042

cite journal
author=Karachentsev, I. D. "et al."
year=2003
month=June
title=Distances to Nearby Galaxies in Sculptor
journal=Astronomy and Astrophysics
volume=404
pages=93
id=arxiv | archive=astro-ph | id=0302045
doi=10.1051/0004-6361:20030170

cite journal
author=Karachentsev, I. D. "et al."
title=A Catalog of Neighboring Galaxies
journal=Astronomical Journal
year=2004
volume=127
issue=4
pages=2031–2068
url=http://www.iop.org/EJ/abstract/1538-3881/127/4/2031
doi=10.1086/382905

cite journal
author=Karachentsev, I. D.
title=The Local Group and Other Neighbouring Galaxy Groups
journal=The Astrophysical Journal
year=2005
volume=129
issue=1
pages=178–188
url=http://www.iop.org/EJ/abstract/1538-3881/129/1/178
doi=10.1086/426368

cite journal
author=McConnachie, A. W. "et al."
year=2005
title=Distances and Metallicities for 17 Local Group Galaxies
journal=MNRAS
volume=356
pages=979
id=arxiv | archive=astro-ph | id=0410489
doi=10.1111/j.1365-2966.2004.08514.x

cite journal
author=Tonry, J. L. "et al."
title=The SBF Survey of Galaxy Distances. IV. SBF Magnitudes, Colors, and Distances
journal=Astrophysical Journal
year=2001
volume=546
issue=2
pages=681–693
url=http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2001ApJ...546..681T | doi=10.1086/318301

cite journal
author=Van den Bergh, S.
year=2000
month=April
title=Updated Information on the Local Group
journal=The Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific
volume=112
issue=770
pages=529–536
url=http://cdsaas.u-strasbg.fr:2001/PASP/journal/issues/v112n770/200072/200072.web.pdf
doi=10.1086/316548