When is the best time to observe NGC 2551?

NGC 2551 is best observed from December through February, with peak visibility during January when it transits around midnight in the Northern Hemisphere.

Where is NGC 2551 located in the sky?

NGC 2551 lies in the constellation Camelopardalis at right ascension 08h 25m and declination +73° 25′.

What telescope do I need to see NGC 2551?

At magnitude 12.0, NGC 2551 is best observed with a 6-inch (150 mm) or larger telescope.

NGC 2551 — Galaxy in Camelopardalis

Galaxy Fair (33/100)

Lenticular

Magnitude 12.0^m Galaxy Camelopardalis (Cam) Visible

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1Properties

Magnitude 12.0

Angular Size 1.6′ × 1.1′

Position Angle 53°

Distance 108.10 million ly

Galaxy Type Lenticular (S0-a)

Description

vF, S, F* in centre

Position & Identifiers

RA 08h 24m 48.0s

Dec +73° 25' 00.0"

Constellation Camelopardalis (Cam)

Catalog NGC 2551

2How easy to spot?

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Telescope	Bortle 3	Bortle 4	Bortle 5
80 mm refractor 80mm refr.	Hard+	Hard	V. hard+
150 mm Newton 150mm Newt.	Medium	Medium	Hard+
Celestron C8 (203 mm SCT) C8 203mm	Medium+	Medium+	Medium

Easy Medium Hard Very hard Impossible

Bortle 3 = rural · 4 = outer suburbs · 5 = suburbs

Medium on Seestar S50

3Visibility

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Best season Dec – Feb (peak: Jan)

4 Eyepiece View

Telescope Eyepiece

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125x TFOV: 0.4° Lim. mag: 13.6

Seeing Bortle

NGC 2551 · 1.6′×1.1′ · N up, E left

5 Best Magnification

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6 Surface Brightness

7 Morphology Decoder

8 Inclination & True Shape

9 Redshift

10 Size Comparator

Discover

11

Light Travel Time Machine

12

Relativistic Travel

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.

NGC 2629

Hard+

Elliptical galaxy

Galaxy mag 13.0 1.7° Ursa Major

NGC 2634

Hard+

Elliptical galaxy

Galaxy mag 13.0 1.7° Camelopardalis

NGC 2633

Medium

Barred spiral galaxy

Galaxy mag 11.9 1.8° Camelopardalis

NGC 2646

Medium

Bright spiral galaxy

Galaxy mag 12.0 1.8° Camelopardalis

Sigma UMa

HIP 45038; Sigma2 Ursae Majoris; 13 Ursae Majoris

Medium+

Colorful double, sep 4.7″

Double Star mag 4.80 7.3° Ursa Major

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