List of galaxies with richest globular cluster systems


This is a list of galaxies with richest known globular cluster systems. As of 2019, the galaxy NGC 6166 has the richest globular cluster system, with 39 000 globular clusters. Other galaxies with rich globular cluster systems are NGC 4874, NGC 4889, NGC 3311 and Messier 87. For comparison, the Milky Way has a poor globular cluster system, with only 150-180 globular clusters.
GalaxyImageNumber of globular clustersNotes
NGC 616639 000 ± 2000Richest known globular cluster system
NGC 487418 700 ± 2260Richest globular cluster system in Coma cluster
NGC 331116 500 ± 2000Richest globular cluster system in southern part of the sky and in Hydra cluster
Messier 8712 000 ± 800Richest globular cluster system in Virgo Supercluster and richest in Messier Catalog. Also richest within 100 million light-years. Data from 2006 survey
NGC 488911 000 ± 1340Largest galaxy in this list
IC 40516700 ± 530Richest globular cluster system in IC catalog
NGC 13956000 ± 1100Richest globular cluster system in Eridanus Cluster, divided into two populations
NGC 13996000 ± 600Richest globular cluster system in Fornax Cluster, most clusters are given
Messier 495900
Messier 605100
Messier 863800Richest globular cluster system in Markarian's Chain
NGC 68613000 ± 300
NGC 16002850
Messier 592200
Messier 892000Data from 2006 survey
Messier 841775 ± 150
Sombrero Galaxy1600 ± 400Richest globular cluster system around named galaxy
NGC 4278
NGC 49261300 ± 300
Maffei 11100Closest galaxy in this list