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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 14 August 2015
Galaxies occur in a wide variety of systems ranging from binary pairs through small groups to rich clusters. These systems in turn possess a wide range of densities, with typical separations between bright (L ≫ L* = 3.4 × 1010 L⊙) galaxies varying from ≲ 10 kpc up to ~ 1 Mpc. Among the most common of these systems are small, loose groups containing ≲ 10 bright galaxies with separations ≳ 100 kpc. Such systems probably contain a substantial fraction of all galaxies (de Vaucouleurs 1975; van den Bergh 1962; Karachentseva 1973). Familiar examples include the Local Group and M81 group.