The Nearest 15,000 Galaxies

The locations of the nearest 15,000 galaxies with known recessional velocity are displayed here on an Aitoff equal area grid in celestial coordinates, Right Ascension (R.A.) and Declination (Decl.).

All of these objects have measured recessional velocities less than 12,000 km/s. The map is centered on R.A.= 6 hours, Decl. = 0 degrees. The continous lines that rise diagonally through the center of the map show the locus in celestial coordinates of the lines of constant galactic latitude at -20deg, 0 and +20 deg. delineating the Zone of Avoidance, where distant galaxies are obscured at optical wavelengths by the dust and gas within the Milky Way.

The distribution of galaxies within this volume is not random; galaxies tend to cluster. Two major structures are easily seen:

• To the left of the map, the strong concentration of galaxies in the central region of the Local Supercluster is clearly noticeable.

• On the upper right side, the linear string of galaxies running diagonally (and almost perpendicular to the galactic latitude = -20deg line) is the Pisces-Perseus supercluster.

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