NGC 4589 facts for kids
NGC 4589 is a huge group of stars, dust, and gas called an elliptical galaxy. It is found in the Draco constellation, which is a pattern of stars in our night sky. This galaxy is incredibly far away from Earth, about 108 million light-years from us.
What is NGC 4589?
NGC 4589 is a type of galaxy known as an elliptical galaxy. Imagine a giant, fuzzy ball or an oval shape – that's what an elliptical galaxy often looks like! Unlike spiral galaxies, which have swirling arms, elliptical galaxies are smoother and more uniform. They usually contain older stars and have less gas and dust for new stars to form.
Where is NGC 4589 Located?
This distant galaxy is located in the Draco constellation. Draco means "The Dragon" in Latin. It's a constellation that winds its way around the North Celestial Pole, making it visible for many people in the Northern Hemisphere. While you can see the stars of Draco with your eyes, NGC 4589 is far too faint and distant to be seen without a powerful telescope.
How Far Away is it?
NGC 4589 is about 108 million light-years away. A light-year is the distance light travels in one year. Light moves incredibly fast, about 300,000 kilometers (186,000 miles) per second! So, 108 million light-years is an enormous distance. It means that the light we see from NGC 4589 today actually left the galaxy 108 million years ago. We are looking back in time when we observe it!
Images for kids
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NGC 4589 as seen by the Pan-STARRS telescope.
