The largest galaxies in the universe.
The Milky Way contains 100–400 billion stars and is roughly 100,000 light-years across. It is, by galactic standards, average-to-above-average. The largest known galaxies dwarf it. Here are the ten biggest galaxies ever cataloged, ranked by diameter, with real coordinates and the catalog references astronomers actually use.
IC 1101
The supergiant elliptical at the center of the Abell 2029 galaxy cluster. By most measurements, the largest known galaxy in the universe — though some recent reanalysis argues its “stellar disk” may be closer to 2 million light-years with a diffuse halo extending beyond. It contains an estimated 100 trillion stars, compared to the Milky Way’s 200–400 billion.
ESO 306-17
A “fossil group” supergiant elliptical — the lonely survivor of a galaxy cluster that has long since merged into a single dominant galaxy. Suspected to have absorbed dozens of smaller companion galaxies over its lifetime.
Phoenix Cluster Galaxy
The brightest galaxy in the Phoenix Cluster — an unusually star-formation-active supergiant elliptical, generating new stars at hundreds of times the rate of typical galaxies of its size. A target of significant Hubble and JWST study.
A2261-BCG
The brightest galaxy in cluster Abell 2261. Notable for its unusually large, diffuse core — possibly the result of a recent supermassive black hole merger ejecting the galaxy’s central black hole.
NGC 4889
One of the two giant elliptical galaxies dominating the Coma Cluster. Hosts one of the largest known supermassive black holes — ~21 billion solar masses, roughly 5,000 times more massive than the one at the Milky Way’s center.
NGC 6166
A giant elliptical with multiple cores — evidence of recent (galactically speaking) mergers with smaller galaxies. Sits at the center of cluster Abell 2199.
NGC 1399
The brightest galaxy of the Fornax Cluster. Notable for hosting an unusually large population of globular clusters — ancient spherical groupings of hundreds of thousands of stars each.
M87 (Virgo A)
A giant elliptical at the heart of the Virgo Cluster. Famous for being the first galaxy whose central supermassive black hole was directly imaged — the iconic 2019 Event Horizon Telescope photograph. M87 is in our registry.
Andromeda Galaxy (M31)
The largest galaxy in the Local Group and the closest large galaxy to the Milky Way. Visible to the naked eye from dark-sky locations. M31 is our most-dedicated Named tier galaxy.
Milky Way
For reference. Our own. Average-to-above-average by galactic standards. Will merge with Andromeda in approximately 4.5 billion years to form “Milkomeda” — a supergiant elliptical that will likely climb several places up this list.
Dedicate one of these
Of the galaxies above, M87 (Virgo A), Andromeda (M31), and the Milky Way are in our public registry, along with 2,065 other real, NASA-catalogued galaxies. Our Named tier ($149) and Signature tier ($299) are the most popular for milestone gifts — they include the most iconic galaxies known to astronomy.
Browse the registry →Common questions
What is the largest galaxy in the universe?
The largest known galaxy is IC 1101, a supergiant elliptical galaxy approximately 4 million light-years across. For comparison, the Milky Way is about 100,000 light-years across — IC 1101 is 40 times larger. It contains an estimated 100 trillion stars, compared to the Milky Way's 100-400 billion.
How big is IC 1101?
IC 1101's diameter is estimated at 4 million light-years, though this measurement is debated — recent reanalysis suggests its 'true' stellar disk may be closer to 2 million light-years, with the rest being a diffuse halo. Either way, it's the largest galaxy ever cataloged.
Why are some galaxies so much bigger than others?
The largest galaxies are typically supergiant ellipticals at the centers of massive galaxy clusters. They grow by absorbing smaller galaxies that fall into their gravitational wells over billions of years. The Milky Way will eventually merge with the Andromeda Galaxy in 4.5 billion years to form a similar large elliptical, informally called 'Milkomeda.'
Is the Milky Way considered large?
Above average but not large. At 100,000 light-years across with 200-400 billion stars, the Milky Way is in the top ~10% of galaxies by size. The Andromeda Galaxy (M31) is larger at 220,000 light-years and ~1 trillion stars. Both are dwarfed by the supergiant ellipticals at the centers of major galaxy clusters.
Can I buy or dedicate one of the largest galaxies?
Some yes, some no. IC 1101 isn't in our registry yet (it's a specialty entry rather than a public-domain favorite), but Andromeda (M31, the largest in our Named tier), the Whirlpool (M51), the Sombrero (M104), and many other large galaxies are. They start at $149 in the Named tier — full permanent registry entry plus archival print.