Messier 32 facts for kids
Messier 32, also known as NGC 221, is a small galaxy. It is a type of dwarf galaxy that looks like a stretched-out ball. It is about 2.65 million light-years away from Earth. You can find it in the constellation called Andromeda.
M32 is a satellite galaxy of the much larger Andromeda Galaxy (M31). This means it orbits around the Andromeda Galaxy, just like the Moon orbits Earth. A French astronomer named Guillaume Le Gentil first discovered M32 in 1749.
What is Messier 32?
Messier 32 is a special kind of galaxy called a compact elliptical galaxy. These galaxies are quite rare. They are shaped like a flattened sphere or an egg. M32 is about 6,500 light-years wide at its widest point.
Stars in M32
Most of the stars in M32 are old. They are usually faint red and yellow stars. Unlike some other galaxies, M32 has almost no dust or gas. This means new stars are not forming there right now. However, scientists think that some stars might have formed in M32 not too long ago.
Many of M32's stars are packed tightly together. Half of its light comes from a very small central area. This area is only about 6 parsecs wide. A parsec is a unit of distance used in space. One parsec is about 3.26 light-years.
Black Hole at the Center
Like many other galaxies, M32 has a supermassive black hole at its center. This black hole is incredibly heavy. Its mass is between 1.5 million and 5 million times the mass of our Sun!
Images for kids
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Messier 32 as it might appear from just outside of Messier 31 (top-right). The nearby Messier 33 (bottom-left) is also pictured
See also
In Spanish: Galaxia elíptica M32 para niños
