How do astronomers come up with names for galaxies?
In order to keep track of the millions of galaxies that exist, astronomers have to come up with names for them. The most common way to do this is by using the Messier Catalogue, which was created by French astronomer Charles Messier in 1771. This catalogue contains 110 different galaxies, and each one is assigned a number. For example, the Andromeda Galaxy is also known as Messier 31 or M31.
Other common ways to name galaxies include using their coordinates in the sky, or using descriptive names based on their appearance. For example, the Sombrero Galaxy gets its name from its shape, which resembles a wide-brimmed hat. Meanwhile, the Cigar Galaxy earned its moniker due to its long and slender shape.
What exactly is a galaxy?
A galaxy is a gravitationally bound system of stars, stellar remnants, interstellar gas, dust, and dark matter. The word galaxy is derived from the Greek galaxias (γαλαξίας), literally "milky", a reference to the Milky Way. Galaxies range in size from dwarfs with just a few hundred million (108) stars to giants with one trillion (1012) stars, each orbiting its galaxy's center of mass.
Most galaxies are organized into groups, clusters, and superclusters. The Milky Way is part of the Local Group of galaxies, which includes about 54 galaxies, including the Andromeda Galaxy and about 44 other smaller galaxies. The Local Group forms part of the Virgo Supercluster, which includes more than 100 galaxy groups and clusters.
Can I use the random galaxy names that this tool creates?
Yes you can. The Story Shack claims no copyright on any of these names, but it is of course possible that some of the values this name generator provides are already owned by anyone else, so please make sure to always do your due diligence.
How many ideas can I generate with this Galaxy Name Generator?
The Galaxy Name Generator can generate thousands of ideas for your project, so feel free to keep clicking and at the end use the handy copy feature to export your galaxy names to a text editor of your choice. Enjoy!
What are good galaxy names?
There's thousands of random galaxy names in this generator. Here are some samples to start:
Examples of galaxy names| Idea #1 | PKD 53D |
| Idea #2 | Aristaeus Star System |
| Idea #3 | FBE 12C |
| Idea #4 | IYG 89J |
| Idea #5 | Epsilon Sagittarius |
| Idea #6 | TNV 9J |
| Idea #7 | Orithyia Star System |
| Idea #8 | Canis Ilioneus |
| Idea #9 | Alpha Achelois |
| Idea #10 | XYS 9J |
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