Galaxy · Spiral
IC 4397
IC 4397 is a galaxy in the direction of the constellation Boötes, 205.9 million light-years away.
| Type | Spiral |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Boötes |
| Distance | 205.9 million light-years (63.14 Mpc) |
| Diameter | 88,000 light-years · 1 × the Milky Way |
| Absolute magnitude | magnitude −20.57 |
| Apparent magnitude | magnitude 13.43 |
| Luminosity | 0.74 × the Milky Way |
| Right ascension (J2000) | 14h 17m 58.7s |
| Declination (J2000) | +26° 24′ 45″ |
| Source | 2MASS Redshift Survey (Huchra et al. 2012) |
In the sky
A telescope is needed to see it: its apparent magnitude is 13.43. Visible from the whole Northern Hemisphere and south to latitude 64° S. North of latitude 64° N it never sets. It stands highest at midnight in April, the best time to observe it.
Through a telescope from Earth
Light's journey
The light you see tonight set out 206 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 3,653.2 billion years.