Irregular Galaxy

Example: NGC 1427A

A galaxy with no regular shape, often pulled out of shape by gravity, with a mix of young and old stars.

Key facts

Shape: No regular shape
Stars: Mix of young and old stars
Example shown: NGC 1427A
Example’s distance: About 50 million light-years

About the Irregular Galaxy

How to recognise it

Irregular galaxies have no clear spiral or oval shape. They range from small dwarf galaxies to large systems, and often contain bright clumps of young blue stars. Their odd shapes are often caused by the gravity of nearby galaxies.

The example: NGC 1427A

NGC 1427A is about 50 million light-years away in the constellation Eridanus. It is falling into the Fornax galaxy cluster, and the pressure of the cluster’s gas is triggering bursts of star formation.