Local Group

The Local Group is a collection of galaxies, including our own Milky Way, that are gravitationally bound together. It consists of about 54 galaxies, with the Milky Way, Andromeda, and Triangulum being the largest. These galaxies are relatively close to each other in cosmic terms, ranging from about 0.5 to 3 million light-years apart. The Local Group is part of a larger structure known as the Laniakea Supercluster, which encompasses many more galaxies. Studying the Local Group helps astronomers understand the formation and evolution of galaxies in the universe.