SMRTR Science & EngineeringAug 11, 2026Science News

The largest known galaxy is wider than 17 Milky Ways

SMRTR summary

IC 1101, the largest known galaxy, spans 1.7 million light-years wide, equivalent to 17 Milky Ways side by side. It reached this size by repeatedly swallowing smaller neighboring galaxies, a process called galactic cannibalism, and is still growing, making it a glimpse into the extreme future of galactic evolution.

SMRTR provides this summary for quick context. The original article belongs to Science News.

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