File:NGC_4631_HST.jpg · Wikimedia Commons · See Wikimedia Commons
NGC 4631
Sign in to saveAlso known as New General Catalogue 4631, Whale Galaxy, Caldwell 32, C 32
spiral galaxy in the constellation Canes Venatici
Key facts
- Constellation
- Canes Venatici
- Right ascension
- 12 42 08.0
- Declination
- +32 ° 32 ′ 29 ″
- Redshift
- 606 ± 3 km/ s
- Distance
- 30 Mly
- Type
- SB(s)d
- Apparent size v
- 15′.5 × 2′.7
- Notable features
- edge-on
via Wikipedia infobox
Wikidata facts
- Instance of
- astrophysical X-ray source
- Constellation
- Canes Venatici
- Distance from Earth
- 5.7
- Image
- N4631s.jpg
Show 12 more facts
- catalog code
- LEDA 42637
- Commons category
- NGC 4631
- companion of
- NGC 4656
- discoverer or inventor
- William Herschel
- time of discovery or invention
- 1787-03-20
- apparent magnitude
- 6.465
- galaxy morphological type
- Scd
- right ascension
- 190.5333708
- declination
- 32.5415111
- redshift
- 0.0022
- radial velocity
- 626
- epoch
- J2000.0
Sources (2)
via Wikidata · CC0
~3 min read
Encyclopedic overview
NGC 4631 (also known as the Whale Galaxy or Caldwell 32) is a barred spiral galaxy in the constellation Canes Venatici about 30 million light years away from Earth. It was discovered on 20 March 1787 by German-British astronomer William Herschel. This galaxy's slightly distorted wedge shape gives it the appearance of a herring or a whale, hence its nickname. Because this nearby galaxy is seen edge-on from Earth, professional astronomers observe this galaxy to better understand the gas and stars located outside the plane of the galaxy.
Starburst and superwind
Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “NGC 4631” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.