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The M33 The Triangulum Galaxy is a spiral galaxy and is the third-largest member of the Local Group, after the Milky Way and the Andromeda Galaxy. It was originally known as the Triangulum Nebula and is cataloged as Messier 33, M33, and NGC 598. M33 has a D25 isophotal diameter of about 18.7 kiloparsecs (61,000 light-years) and is approximately 850 kpc (2.7 million light-years) from Earth. The galaxy’s name comes from the constellation Triangulum, the small northern constellation in which it is located.
The Triangulum Galaxy has a total mass estimated to be on the order of 50 billion solar masses, making it significantly less massive than both the Milky Way and the Andromeda Galaxy. Unlike Andromeda, M33 does not have a prominent central bulge and is considered a relatively pure spiral galaxy. It is notable for its high rate of star formation and for containing some of the largest known H II regions, including NGC 604. M33 is gravitationally bound to the Andromeda Galaxy and is thought to be a satellite member of the Local Group. [from Wikipedia]
