NGC 6240
NGC 6240 is a galaxy in the constellation Ophiuchus, about 364.97 million light-years from Earth.
Two galaxies merging, with two supermassive black holes closing in on each other
Facts
| Type | Galaxy (shape I...) |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Ophiuchus |
| Position (J2000) | 16h 52m 58s, +2° 24′ |
| Distance | 364.97 million light-years (its light set off about 364.97 million years ago) |
| Brightness | magnitude 13.37 (smaller is brighter; the faintest stars the eye sees are about 6) |
| Size on the sky | 2.2′ × 0.9′ (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 = 0.02472 |
| Studied in | 1,751 scientific papers (SIMBAD) |
When and how to see it
NGC 6240 is highest in the sky at midnight in June. 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 Ophiuchus
- Kepler's Supernova
- M9 (NGC 6333)
- M10 (NGC 6254)
- M12 (NGC 6218)
- M14 (NGC 6402)
- M19 (NGC 6273)
- M62 (NGC 6266)
- M107 (NGC 6171)
Everything in Ophiuchus · All 88 constellations · All sky objects
Data: SIMBAD (CDS, Strasbourg; the site's weekly copy) · OpenNGC · Data sources & credits