About C72
Description
NGC 55 is a large, edge-on barred irregular galaxy in Sculptor, about 6.5 million light-years away. It spans an impressive 32 arcminutes and is a member of the Sculptor Group, similar in many ways to the Large Magellanic Cloud.
Observing Tips
A large, bright galaxy visible in binoculars from dark sites as an elongated streak. A telescope at low power shows the asymmetric brightness profile. Best from southern latitudes in autumn evenings.
History
Discovered by James Dunlop on July 7, 1826 from Australia. NGC 55 and NGC 300 form a gravitationally bound pair within the Sculptor Group, similar to the LMC-SMC pair in our Local Group.
Fun Facts
Despite being classified as edge-on, NGC 55 may actually be a barred galaxy seen at a moderately high inclination. It has active star formation concentrated in a bright bar-like central region.
Observe
1Properties
Position & Identifiers
2How easy to spot?
| Telescope | Bortle 3 | Bortle 4 | Bortle 5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 80 mm refractor 80mm refr. | Hard | Hard | Hard |
| 150 mm Newton 150mm Newt. | Hard+ | Hard+ | Hard |
| Celestron C8 (203 mm SCT) C8 203mm | Hard+ | Hard+ | Hard+ |
Bortle 3 = rural · 4 = outer suburbs · 5 = suburbs
3Visibility
Set a location in User Settings to see visibility data.
4
Eyepiece View
5
Best Magnification
Explore
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Surface Brightness
7
Morphology Decoder
8
Inclination & True Shape
9
Redshift
10
Size Comparator
Discover
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Light Travel Time Machine
12
Relativistic Travel
Community Photos (1)
Credit: ESO. License: CC BY 4.0. (Wikimedia Commons)
Skybred Mar 2, 2026
Nearby in the Sky
Other targets within a few degrees — pan your scope a little and keep exploring.
Visibility scores assume a 150 mm Newton at Bortle 4.
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