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C36

NGC 4559

Galaxy Excellent (69/100)

Spiral

C36 Galaxy Coma Berenices Visible Level 4 Large telescope (10"+) - Dark skies recommended
Credit: Sloan Digital Sky Survey. License: CC BY 4.0. (Wikimedia Commons)
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Properties

Magnitude 9.8
Angular Size 10.6′ × 4.8′
Position Angle 148°
Distance 32000000 ly
Galaxy Type Spiral (Sc)
Spiral Galaxy [Distance: 32000000 ly]

Position & Identifiers

RA 12h 35m 57.6s
Dec +27° 57' 36.0"
Constellation Coma Berenices
Catalog C36

Visibility

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About C36

Description

NGC 4559 is a barred spiral galaxy in Coma Berenices, about 29 million light-years away. It is a loose, patchy spiral with numerous HII star-forming regions and appears roughly 10 arcminutes long with low surface brightness.

Observing Tips

Visible as a faint, elongated glow in a 6-inch telescope. Dark skies are important for this low-surface-brightness galaxy. Best viewed in spring evenings at low to medium magnification.

History

Discovered by William Herschel on April 11, 1785. X-ray observations have revealed an ultraluminous X-ray source in this galaxy that may be an intermediate-mass black hole.

Fun Facts

NGC 4559 contains an unusually large number of bright HII regions for its size, indicating vigorous ongoing star formation.

Community Photos (1)

Credit: Sloan Digital Sky Survey. License: CC BY 4.0. (Wikimedia Commons)

Credit: Sloan Digital Sky Survey. License: CC BY 4.0. (Wikimedia Commons)

Skybred Mar 2, 2026