Abstract
This chapter deals with those deep-sky objects that every amateur astronomer not only knows about but also has usually observed at least a handful of – galaxies.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Notes
- 1.
The Milky Way Galaxy is sometimes referred to as the “Galaxy,” with a capital letter, whereas any other is simply a “galaxy.” However, in this book we do not capitalize the word galaxy unless it is linked with the actual name of the galaxy, i.e., the Milky Way Galaxy.
- 2.
Scientifically speaking, that is. To the naked eye, they will still look white (−ish).
- 3.
See Chap. 4 for a description of HII regions.
- 4.
The ‘d’ classification is a quite rare and so the majority of galaxies listed in the book will only have classifications up to “c.” It is included here for completeness.
- 5.
Of course, perhaps we don’t have to mention that if you have a medium-to-large-aperture telescope, then the number of galaxies visible to you is vast, and the detail you will be able to see will astound you!
- 6.
The Local Group is a cluster of several galaxies, including the Milky Way. It consists of M31, M33, M110, M32, the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds and about 25 other dwarf galaxies, including Leo I and II, And I and II, the Draco, Carina, Sextans and Phoenix dwarfs.
- 7.
Cepheid variables are used as standard candles for measuring distances to other extra-galactic objects.
- 8.
Sometimes the cluster is just referred to as the Virgo Cluster. For a description of the cluster, see the entry on M87.
- 9.
M102 is now believed to be just a duplicate observation of M101.
- 10.
Not least, it made up the bulk of this author’s Ph.D. thesis!
- 11.
M77 is in fact classified as a Seyfert II galaxy, indicating that it has only narrow emission lines. A Seyfert I galaxy has both broad and narrow emission lines. The width of the line is a measure of the velocity of the gas that produced the emission line.
- 12.
# Indicates number of galaxies in cluster/group.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2012 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Inglis, M.D. (2012). Galaxies. In: A Field Guide to Deep-Sky Objects. Patrick Moore's Practical Astronomy Series. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-1266-3_5
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-1266-3_5
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY
Print ISBN: 978-1-4614-1265-6
Online ISBN: 978-1-4614-1266-3
eBook Packages: Physics and AstronomyPhysics and Astronomy (R0)