Antennae Galaxies
Also known as NGC 4038
Antennae Galaxies is a galaxy in the constellation Corvus, about 72.02 million light-years from Earth.
Two colliding galaxies
Facts
| Type | Galaxy (shape SB(s)mpec) |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Corvus |
| Position (J2000) | 12h 01m 53s, −18° 52′ |
| Distance | 72.02 million light-years (its light set off about 72.02 million years ago) |
| Brightness | magnitude 10.2 (smaller is brighter; the faintest stars the eye sees are about 6) |
| Size on the sky | 5.2′ × 3.1′ (the full Moon is about 31′) |
| Filter | No filter (It shines in starlight of every colour, so a nebula filter would only dim it; a dark sky helps more.) |
| Redshift | z = 0.00559 |
| Studied in | 1,371 scientific papers (SIMBAD) |
When and how to see it
Antennae Galaxies is highest in the sky at midnight in March. From India (about 20° N) it climbs to about 51° above the horizon; from 50° N, to about 21°. To see it you need a small telescope.
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 Corvus
Everything in Corvus · All 88 constellations · All sky objects
Data: SIMBAD (CDS, Strasbourg; the site's weekly copy) · OpenNGC · Data sources & credits