NGC 2573

Also known as Polarissima Australis

barred spiral galaxy in the constellation Octans

Key facts

Constellation: Octans
Right ascension: 01 41 38.0019
Declination: −89 ° 20 ′ 04.2723 ″
Redshift: 0.008102 ± 0.000017
Heliocentric radial velocity: 2,429 ± 5 km/s
Distance: 25.8 megaparsecs (84 Mly)
Apparent magnitude v: 13.25 ± 0.09
Apparent magnitude b: 14.15 ± 0.09
Absolute magnitude v: −19.30 ± 0.67
Type: SAB(s)cd:
Mass: 3.229 × 10 M ☉
Size: 23,860 parsecs (77,800 ly)
Apparent size v

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Article

NGC 2573, also known as Polarissima Australis, is a barred spiral galaxy located in the constellation Octans. It has an apparent magnitude of 13.25, making it readily visible in medium-sized telescopes, but not to the naked eye. The object is located relatively far at a distance of 84 million light years and it is currently receding with a heliocentric radial velocity of 2495 km/s. Using a redshift of z = 0.08102 yields a greater distance of 109 million light years.

The galaxy was discovered on March 29th, 1837 by English astronomer John Herschel. It is the closest NGC object to the south celestial pole, hence the nickname "Polarissima Australis".