C72 · galaxy

NGC 55

NGC 55, also known as the String of Pearls Galaxy, is a Magellanic type barred spiral galaxy located about 6.5 million light-years away in the constellation Sculptor.

RA00h 14m 53sDec−39° 11' 47"

Image: NASA/JPL/California Institute of Technology. Source: JPL via images.nasa.gov.

Identity & coordinates

Identification

Primary designation: C72
All designations: C72 · NGC 55
Object type: Galaxy
Constellation: Sculptor
Best viewing: Autumn

Coordinates & physical

Right ascension (J2000): 00h 14m 53s
Declination (J2000): −39° 11' 47"
Apparent magnitude (V): —
Distance: —
Redshift (z): 0.000437

III

Visibility tonight

The science

NGC 55, also known as the String of Pearls Galaxy, is a Magellanic type barred spiral galaxy located about 6.5 million light-years away in the constellation Sculptor. It was discovered on 7 July 1826 by Scottish astronomer James Dunlop. Along with its neighbor NGC 300, it is one of the closest galaxies to the Local Group, probably lying between the Milky Way and the Sculptor Group. It has an estimated mass of (2.0 ± 0.4) × 1010 M☉.

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