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Spindle galaxy

NGC 3115

Galaxy Good (58/100)

Lenticular

NGC 3115 Galaxy Sex Visible Level 3 Medium telescope (6-8") - Dark skies recommended
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Properties

Magnitude 9.2
Angular Size 7.1′ × 3.0′
Position Angle 43°
Galaxy Type Lenticular (S0)
vB, L, vmE 46deg , vgsmbMEN

Position & Identifiers

RA 10h 05m 12.0s
Dec -07° 43' 00.0"
Constellation Sex
Catalog NGC 3115

Visibility

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Eyepiece View

200x TFOV: 0.2° Lim. mag: 14.2
N E

Spindle galaxy · 7.1′×3.0′ · N up, E left

Surface Brightness & Visibility

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About Spindle galaxy

Description

The Spindle Galaxy (NGC 3115) is a lenticular galaxy in Sextans, about 32 million light-years away. Seen edge-on, it has a prominent central bulge that tapers to a thin, lens-shaped disk, giving it its spindle shape.

Observing Tips

One of the brighter lenticular galaxies, visible in a 4-inch telescope as a bright, elongated smudge with a concentrated center. An 8-inch scope shows the spindle shape clearly. Best in spring evenings.

History

Discovered by William Herschel on February 22, 1787. Modern observations have detected a supermassive black hole of about 1 billion solar masses at its center — one of the nearest billion-solar-mass black holes to Earth.

Fun Facts

NGC 3115 holds the record for the nearest galaxy with a definitively measured billion-solar-mass black hole. Despite being a lenticular galaxy with little gas, faint dust rings suggest it may have accreted a small companion in the past.