3C 273
3C 273 is a BL Lac in the constellation Virgo, about 2.15 billion light-years from Earth.
First quasar identified (1963) and the brightest in the sky
Facts
| Type | BL Lac (shape E3) |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Virgo |
| Position (J2000) | 12h 29m 06s, +2° 02′ |
| Distance | 2.15 billion light-years (its light set off about 2.15 billion years ago) |
| Brightness | magnitude 14.83 (smaller is brighter; the faintest stars the eye sees are about 6) |
| Redshift | z = 0.15757 |
| Studied in | 6,064 scientific papers (SIMBAD) |
When and how to see it
3C 273 is highest in the sky at midnight in March. From India (about 20° N) it climbs to about 72° above the horizon; from 50° N, to about 42°. To see it you need a large telescope or long-exposure photos.
Heights are worked out for India and for 50° N. Set your location in Settings to see them for where you are.
For tonight's best time from your own town, the darkness and the Moon, open it on the map and see its "Tonight from your location" card.
More in Virgo
- 3C 279
- M49 (NGC 4472)
- M58 (NGC 4579)
- M59 (NGC 4621)
- M60 (NGC 4649)
- M61 (NGC 4303)
- M84 (NGC 4374)
- M87* (Messier 87)
Everything in Virgo · All 88 constellations · All sky objects
Data: SIMBAD (CDS, Strasbourg; the site's weekly copy) · Data sources & credits