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Galaxy

Messier 49

Also M49 · NGC 4472

Open in OuranosCompare its size

A giant elliptical galaxy, the brightest elliptical in the Virgo Cluster.

Measured

Distance
52.4 million light-years
Size
about 168,000 light-years across (approximate)
Constellation
Virgo
Position (J2000)
RA 12h 29m 47s, Dec +8.00°

How far, from the Sun

52.4 million light-years. To cross it:

  • Light52.4 million years
  • Voyager 1's speed931 billion years
  • Driving at 100 km/h566 trillion years

Voyager 1 at the speed it moved outward over the year to 2026-10-25 (JPL Horizons). Driving: nonstop, never refuelling.

Facts

  • It was the first member of the Virgo Cluster to be found, by Messier in 1771.
  • It is moving away from us at about 980 km/s (NASA/IPAC NED).

Where this comes from

  • Cosmicflows-3, Tully, Courtois & Sorce 2016, AJ 152, 50 (16.07 Mpc)
  • This research has made use of the SIMBAD database, CDS, Strasbourg, France (Wenger et al. 2000, A&AS 143, 9).
  • This research has made use of the VizieR catalogue access tool, CDS, Strasbourg, France (DOI: 10.26093/cds/vizier).

Every catalogue Ouranos draws is credited on the credits page.