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Medusa Galaxy Merger (NGC 4194)

Also known as Medusa Galaxy Merger · NGC 4194

Medusa Galaxy Merger (NGC 4194) is a galaxy in the constellation Ursa Major, about 128.51 million light-years from Earth.

Medusa Galaxy Merger (NGC 4194): a sky-survey photograph of its field
Sky survey view (DSS2 colour, or a backup survey)

Facts

TypeGalaxy (shape Imeger)
ConstellationUrsa Major
Position (J2000)12h 14m 09s, +54° 31′
Distance128.51 million light-years (its light set off about 128.51 million years ago)
Brightnessmagnitude 13.3 (smaller is brighter; the faintest stars the eye sees are about 6)
Size on the sky0.8′ × 0.4′ (the full Moon is about 31′)
FilterNo filter (It shines in starlight of every colour, so a nebula filter would only dim it; a dark sky helps more.)
Redshiftz = 0.00859
Studied in470 scientific papers (SIMBAD)

When and how to see it

Medusa Galaxy Merger (NGC 4194) is highest in the sky at midnight in March. From India (about 20° N) it climbs to about 55° above the horizon; from 50° N, to about 85°. 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 Ursa Major

Everything in Ursa Major · All 88 constellations · All sky objects

Data: SIMBAD (CDS, Strasbourg; the site's weekly copy) · OpenNGC · Data sources & credits