C57 · galaxy

Barnard's Galaxy

NGC 6822 is a barred irregular galaxy approximately 1.6 million light-years away in the constellation Sagittarius.

RA19h 44m 57sDec−14° 48' 11"

Image: ESO. CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Identity & coordinates

Identification

Primary designation: C57
All designations: C57 · NGC 6822 · Barnard's Galaxy
Object type: Galaxy
Constellation: Sagittarius
Best viewing: Summer

Coordinates & physical

Right ascension (J2000): 19h 44m 57s
Declination (J2000): −14° 48' 11"
Apparent magnitude (V): —
Distance: —
Redshift (z): -0.000183

III

Visibility tonight

The science

NGC 6822 is a barred irregular galaxy approximately 1.6 million light-years away in the constellation Sagittarius. Part of the Local Group of galaxies, it was discovered by E. E. Barnard in 1884, with a six-inch refractor telescope. It is the closest non-satellite galaxy to the Milky Way, but lies just outside its virial radius. It is similar in structure and composition to the Small Magellanic Cloud. It is about 7,000 light-years in diameter.

Summary adapted from Wikipedia · CC-BY-SA-4.0