Largest spiral galaxy known.

[Arata]

What is the largest spiral galaxy known and what is it's size?
I hear that the largest Is NGC1232, and it's around 200 000 light years across.
But we are 1 500 000 light years across, and it would take 7 1/2 NGC1232's to cover our own galaxy, so wouldn't we be the largest spiral galaxy known to man himself?

[Bla]

Arata, I don't think we're sure that our galaxy is so big yet. But ofc you're welcome to prove me wrong...

[monmarfori]

Malin 1. 650000 light-years it alots 1/16 to cover

[Arata]

Arata, I don't think we're sure that our galaxy is so big yet. But ofc you're welcome to prove me wrong...

Well, compared to the universe, its not really that large, but if you were to compare us to the largest galaxies known, it's seems larger than you think.

[Dan Dixon]

Our galaxy, the Milky Way, is 100000 light years across.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milky_Way

This page says that NGC 1232 is 200000 light years across.
http://www.eso.org/gallery/v/ESOPIA/Galaxies/phot-37d-98.tif.html

So NGC 1232 is only twice as wide as our own galaxy.

Where did you hear that NGC 1232 is the largest? I couldn't find anything after a few minutes of searching.

[Arata]

Our galaxy, the Milky Way, is 100000 light years across.

Where did you hear that NGC 1232 is the largest? I couldn't find anything after a few minutes of searching.

I couldn't find any information about other spirals larger than that, so I thought that it was the largest.
Also, the milky way is 15 times larger than they thought (you can google it, you'll get lots of results), making us 1.5 million light years across.
It's not a coincidence, since our galaxy devours other smaller ones, so I'm not suprided that it's so large.

[atomic7732]

It's not a coincidence, since our galaxy devours other smaller ones, so I'm not suprided that it's so large.

But what do you think others do? 

[Bla]

Arata, I can't find anything by googling it, please send a link.

[monmarfori]

I google it and found a Malin 1 spiral galaxy that is 650000 ly in diameter and can cover 3 times the our Milky Way and 2.5 times to cover the Andromeda Galaxy.