Galaxy · Spiral
NGC 6972
NGC 6972 is a galaxy in the direction of the constellation Delphinus, 211.0 million light-years away.
| Type | Spiral |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Delphinus |
| Distance | 211.0 million light-years (64.69 Mpc) |
| Diameter | 83,900 light-years · 0.96 × the Milky Way |
| Absolute magnitude | magnitude −21.21 |
| Apparent magnitude | magnitude 12.84 |
| Luminosity | 1.3 × the Milky Way |
| Right ascension (J2000) | 20h 49m 59.0s |
| Declination (J2000) | +9° 53′ 57″ |
| Source | 2MASS Redshift Survey (Huchra et al. 2012) |
In the sky
A telescope is needed to see it: its apparent magnitude is 12.84. Visible from the whole Northern Hemisphere and south to latitude 80° 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 211 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 3,742.8 billion years.