C52
Galaxy in Virgo
About
NGC 4697, an elliptical galaxy of class E6 in Virgo, at roughly 40 million light-years (estimates range from 28 to 76 million). It leads its own small group, an offshoot of the Virgo Cluster, and hosts a central black hole of about 130 million solar masses.
Imaging tips
- Only about 7′ × 4′, so it stays small in most frames: tight framing would take 3,400–5,700 mm on APS-C, so use a long focal length and a fine pixel scale.
- As a galaxy it needs broadband data, and at 21.7 mag/arcsec² it is moderately faint for its size.
- It is clearly elongated rather than round; the group's barred spiral NGC 4731 lies to the southeast, in a wider field.
- Best around March and April, but it peaks near 34° altitude from 50°N.
Facts
- Size
- 7.1′ × 4.2′
- Magnitude
- 9.4
- Coordinates
- RA 12h 48.6m, Dec −5° 48′
- Framing, APS-C
- 3410–5690 mm
- Framing, full frame
- longer than 4000 mm
- Best months
- Mar, Apr
- Peak altitude
- 34° from 50°N, 49° from 35°N