H-NGC720
Galaxy in Cetus
About
An elliptical galaxy in Cetus, distant by roughly 80 million light-years, with a span near 110,000 light-years. It is the dominant member of the NGC 720 group. Chandra found a flattened halo of hot gas around it whose orientation differs from the galaxy's optical shape.
Imaging tips
- At about 5′ × 3′ it is too small to frame: use a long focal length and a fine pixel scale.
- Surface brightness is 21.8 mag/arcsec², close to the faint mark of about 22, so broadband data and a long total integration help.
- One imager used a 10-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain at 1600 mm with a light-pollution filter, 10 × 6 min (about 60 min); that image shows no clear internal structure.
- Low from northern latitudes: it stays below 27° from 50°N. Best in October and November.
Facts
- Size
- 5′ × 3′
- Magnitude
- 10.2
- Coordinates
- RA 1h 53.0m, Dec −13° 44′
- Framing, APS-C
- longer than 4000 mm
- Framing, full frame
- longer than 4000 mm
- Best months
- Oct, Nov
- Peak altitude
- 26° from 50°N, 41° from 35°N