Galaxy · Spiral
NGC 2731
NGC 2731 is a galaxy in the direction of the constellation Cancer, 120.4 million light-years away.
| Type | Spiral |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Cancer |
| Distance | 120.4 million light-years (36.90 Mpc) |
| Diameter | 45,600 light-years · 0.52 × the Milky Way |
| Absolute magnitude | magnitude −19.47 |
| Apparent magnitude | magnitude 13.37 |
| Luminosity | 0.27 × the Milky Way |
| Right ascension (J2000) | 9h 02m 08.4s |
| Declination (J2000) | +8° 18′ 06″ |
| Source | 2MASS Redshift Survey (Huchra et al. 2012) |
In the sky
A telescope is needed to see it: its apparent magnitude is 13.37. Visible from the whole Northern Hemisphere and south to latitude 82° S. It stands highest at midnight in February, the best time to observe it.
Through a telescope from Earth
Light's journey
The light you see tonight set out 120 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 2,135.0 billion years.