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Intergalactic Wanderer

NGC 2419

Globular Cluster Fair (39/100)
C25 GlobularCluster Lynx Visible Level 2 Small telescope (4") - Higher magnification helpful
Credit: NASA Hubble. License: CC BY 2.0. (Wikimedia Commons)
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Properties

Magnitude 10.4
Angular Size 4.5′
Distance 275000 ly
Globular Cluster [Distance: 275000 ly]

Position & Identifiers

RA 07h 38m 07.9s
Dec +38° 52' 58.8"
Constellation Lynx
Catalog C25

Visibility

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About Intergalactic Wanderer

Description

The Intergalactic Wanderer (NGC 2419) is a globular cluster in Lynx, about 275,000 light-years from Earth and 300,000 light-years from the galactic center. It is one of the most remote globular clusters associated with the Milky Way.

Observing Tips

A small, faint, round glow in an 8-inch telescope. Despite its brightness (mag 10.4), its enormous distance means it cannot be resolved into individual stars with amateur equipment. Best in winter and spring evenings.

History

Discovered by William Herschel on December 31, 1788. It earned the nickname "Intergalactic Wanderer" because it was once thought to be unbound from the Milky Way, though modern measurements show it is gravitationally bound.

Fun Facts

NGC 2419 is so remote that it takes about 3 billion years to complete one orbit around the Milky Way. It is nearly as luminous as Omega Centauri (C80) and may be the stripped core of a dwarf galaxy absorbed by the Milky Way.

Community Photos (1)

Credit: NASA Hubble. License: CC BY 2.0. (Wikimedia Commons)

Credit: NASA Hubble. License: CC BY 2.0. (Wikimedia Commons)

Skybred Mar 2, 2026