NGC 7331 Galaxy Group

This bright galaxy in the constellation Pegasus, designated NGC 7331, is thought to be much like our own Milky Way galaxy. It is about 43 million light years distant and about 100,000 light years across. The galaxy contains about 1.4 trillion solar masses and a central black hole 4.1 million times as massive as the sun. The group of galaxies surrounding it are much more distant. (Labels appear if you mouse over the image.) When the light from NGC 7335, for example, began its journey toward my camera, the earth had a single large continent (Pangea) and dinosaurs had not yet appeared. The alignment of the distant galaxies with NGC 7331 is just by chance. This galaxy group is known as the Deer Lick Group.