Galaxy
The Sculptor Galaxy
Also NGC 253 · Caldwell 65 · Silver Coin Galaxy
A big, dusty spiral seen almost edge-on, forming stars at a furious rate: a starburst galaxy.
Measured
- Distance
- 11.6 million light-years
- Size
- about 98,000 light-years across (approximate)
- Constellation
- Sculptor
- Position (J2000)
- RA 0h 47m 33s, Dec −25.29°
How far, from the Sun
11.6 million light-years. To cross it:
- Light11.6 million years
- Voyager 1's speed206 billion years
- Driving at 100 km/h125 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 is the brightest member of the Sculptor Group, one of the nearest groups of galaxies to ours.
- It is moving away from us at about 240 km/s (NASA/IPAC NED).
How it was found
- Caroline Herschel discovered it in 1783.
Where this comes from
- Cosmicflows-3, Tully, Courtois & Sorce 2016, AJ 152, 50 (3.56 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.