Local Group

American  

noun

Astronomy.

1. the group of galaxies, at least 25 of which are known, that includes the Milky Way.

---

Local Group British  

noun

1. astronomy the cluster of galaxies to which our galaxy and the Andromeda Galaxy belong

---

Local Group Scientific  

1. A group of more than 30 galaxies that includes 2 large spiral galaxies—the Milky Way and Andromeda—as well as numerous smaller galaxies, many of which are dwarfs. The Local Group has a diameter of approximately 10 million light-years, with its gravitational center located between our galaxy and the Andromeda galaxy. It is part of a larger grouping known as the Virgo supercluster.

---

Etymology

Origin of Local Group

First recorded in 1915–20

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Local Group

A powerful computer then evolved this early universe forward in time, eventually producing a system that matches the present day Local Group.

From Science Daily ● Mar. 6, 2026

Using advanced computer simulations, the researchers discovered that the matter surrounding the Local Group is arranged in a broad, flattened structure that stretches tens of millions of light-years across.

From Science Daily ● Mar. 6, 2026

Despite the gravitational pull of the Local Group, galaxies within the plane are influenced by additional mass spread throughout that same plane.

From Science Daily ● Mar. 6, 2026

M31 is a little more than 2 million light-years away and, along with the Milky Way, is part of a small cluster of more than 50 galaxies referred to as the Local Group.

From Textbooks ● Oct. 13, 2016

But presently our journey takes us to what astronomers on Earth like to call the Local Group of galaxies.

From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan