Galaxy · Spiral
IC 2051
IC 2051 is a galaxy in the direction of the constellation Mensa, 81.7 million light-years away.
| Type | Spiral |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Mensa |
| Distance | 81.7 million light-years (25.04 Mpc) |
| Diameter | 75,300 light-years · 0.86 × the Milky Way |
| Absolute magnitude | magnitude −21.02 |
| Apparent magnitude | magnitude 10.97 |
| Luminosity | 1.1 × the Milky Way |
| Right ascension (J2000) | 3h 52m 00.8s |
| Declination (J2000) | −83° 49′ 51″ |
| Source | 2MASS Redshift Survey (Huchra et al. 2012) |
In the sky
A telescope is needed to see it: its apparent magnitude is 10.97. Visible from the whole Southern Hemisphere and north to latitude 6° N. South of latitude 6° S it never sets.
Through a telescope from Earth
Light's journey
The light you see tonight set out 82 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 1,448.8 billion years.