Galaxy
Whale Galaxy
Barred spiral galaxy · C32 · NGC 4631
Barred spiral galaxy in Canes Venatici
Photo: Stargazer 7000 · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons
NGC 4631 is a barred spiral galaxy in the constellation Canes Venatici about 30 million light years away from Earth. It was discovered on 20 March 1787 by German-British astronomer William Herschel. This galaxy's slightly distorted wedge shape gives it the appearance of a herring or a whale, hence its nickname. Because this nearby galaxy is seen edge-on from Earth, professional astronomers observe this galaxy to better understand the gas and stars located outside the plane of the galaxy.
Description from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).
In your sky
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Key facts
Distance
~22 million light-years
Apparent mag.
+9.3
Apparent size
14.4′ × 2.2′
Best seen with
Telescope
Catalogue
C32 · NGC 4631
Did you know
- Listed as Caldwell 32 in the Caldwell catalogue, also known as NGC 4631.
- Found in the constellation Canes Venatici.
- Needs a telescope to see clearly.
