Galaxy · Spiral
NGC 2987
NGC 2987 is a galaxy in the direction of the constellation Sextans, 174.4 million light-years away.
| Type | Spiral |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Sextans |
| Distance | 174.4 million light-years (53.46 Mpc) |
| Diameter | 84,500 light-years · 0.97 × the Milky Way |
| Absolute magnitude | magnitude −20.61 |
| Apparent magnitude | magnitude 13.03 |
| Luminosity | 0.77 × the Milky Way |
| Right ascension (J2000) | 9h 45m 41.5s |
| Declination (J2000) | +4° 56′ 31″ |
| Source | 2MASS Redshift Survey (Huchra et al. 2012) |
In the sky
A telescope is needed to see it: its apparent magnitude is 13.03. Visible from the whole Northern Hemisphere and south to latitude 85° 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 174 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 3,093.1 billion years.