What is the name of the galaxy group that contains the Milky Way?

The Milky Way belongs to the Local Group, a gravitationally associated group of galaxies in our nearby region of the universe. The group’s two dominant members are the Milky Way and the Andromeda Galaxy.

The Local Group is not a single galaxy and is not a galaxy cluster. It contains dozens of known galaxies, most of them faint dwarf galaxies and satellites. The Triangulum Galaxy, the Large Magellanic Cloud, and the Small Magellanic Cloud are among its other prominent members.

Several larger names can cause confusion. The Local Group is part of the Local Sheet, while the Virgo Supercluster and the still larger Laniakea Supercluster describe broader structures that include many galaxy groups. Those are not the specific group containing the Milky Way.

The Local Group is dynamic: the Milky Way and Andromeda are gravitationally bound and are expected to interact and merge in the distant future. Its name simply reflects our location, much like “Local” in local astronomy—not a claim that it is the smallest or only galaxy group.