NGC 3521 · galaxy

NGC 3521

NGC 3521, also known as the Bubble Galaxy, is a flocculent intermediate spiral galaxy located in the constellation Leo.

RA11h 05m 48sDec−00° 02' 09"

Image: ESA/Hubble & NASA and S. Smartt (Queen's University Belfast) Acknowledgement: Robert Gendler. CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Identity & coordinates

Identification

Primary designation: NGC 3521
All designations: NGC 3521
Object type: Galaxy
Constellation: Leo
Best viewing: Spring

Coordinates & physical

Right ascension (J2000): 11h 05m 48s
Declination (J2000): −00° 02' 09"
Apparent magnitude (V): —
Distance: —
Redshift (z): 0.002665

III

Visibility tonight

The science

NGC 3521, also known as the Bubble Galaxy, is a flocculent intermediate spiral galaxy located in the constellation Leo. Its velocity with respect to the cosmic microwave background is 1167 ± 26 km/s, which corresponds to a Hubble distance of 56.1 ± 4.1 Mly (17.21 ± 1.26 Mpc). However, 26 non-redshift measurements give a much closer distance of 37.17 ± 1.83 Mly (11.395 ± 0.56 Mpc). It was discovered by German-British astronomer William Herschel on 22 February 1784.

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