Fornax Dwarf
Also known as ESO356-004
Fornax Dwarf is a galaxy in the constellation Fornax, about 456,620 light-years from Earth.
Dwarf satellite of the Milky Way
Facts
| Type | Galaxy (shape dSph) |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Fornax |
| Position (J2000) | 2h 39m 59s, −34° 26′ |
| Distance | 456,620 light-years (its light set off about 456,620 years ago) |
| Brightness | magnitude 7.4 (smaller is brighter; the faintest stars the eye sees are about 6) |
| Size on the sky | 27.5′ × 27.5′ (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.) |
| Studied in | 1,935 scientific papers (SIMBAD) |
When and how to see it
Fornax Dwarf is highest in the sky at midnight in October. From India (about 20° N) it climbs to about 36° above the horizon; from 50° N, to about 6°. To see it you need binoculars.
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 Fornax
Everything in Fornax · All 88 constellations · All sky objects
Data: SIMBAD (CDS, Strasbourg; the site's weekly copy) · OpenNGC · Data sources & credits