C36
NGC 4559
Object Data
- Catalog Designation
- C36
- Type
- Galaxy
- Constellation
- Coma Berenices
- Magnitude
- 9.8
- Right Ascension
- 12h 35m 57.6s
- Declination
- +27° 57' 36.0"
- Distance
- 32,000,000 light-years
- Angular Size
- 10
Survey Image
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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)
Skybred Mar 2, 2026
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