Galaxy · Spiral
IC 1401
IC 1401 is a galaxy in the direction of the constellation Aquarius, 220.0 million light-years away.
| Type | Spiral |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Aquarius |
| Distance | 220.0 million light-years (67.44 Mpc) |
| Diameter | 103,000 light-years · 1.2 × the Milky Way |
| Absolute magnitude | magnitude −20.46 |
| Apparent magnitude | magnitude 13.68 |
| Luminosity | 0.67 × the Milky Way |
| Right ascension (J2000) | 21h 46m 59.5s |
| Declination (J2000) | +1° 42′ 46″ |
| Source | 2MASS Redshift Survey (Huchra et al. 2012) |
In the sky
A telescope is needed to see it: its apparent magnitude is 13.68. Visible from the whole Northern Hemisphere and south to latitude 88° S. It stands highest at midnight in August, the best time to observe it.
Through a telescope from Earth
Light's journey
The light you see tonight set out 220 million years ago. At that time dinosaurs ruled the Earth. At the speed of Voyager 1, the fastest craft leaving the Solar System (16.9 km per second), the trip would take 3,901.9 billion years.