NGC 507 facts for kids
NGC 507 is a fascinating lenticular galaxy. Imagine a galaxy that's a mix between a spiral galaxy (like our own Milky Way) and an elliptical galaxy – that's a lenticular galaxy! It looks a bit like a lens or a flat disk without clear spiral arms. This galaxy is found in the Pisces constellation, which is a group of stars that look like two fish. NGC 507 is super far away, about 227 million light-years from Earth. That means the light we see from it today started its journey 227 million years ago!
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What is a Lenticular Galaxy?
A lenticular galaxy is a type of galaxy that has a large, flat disk, just like a spiral galaxy. However, unlike spiral galaxies, it doesn't have clear spiral arms. It also has a bright central bulge, similar to an elliptical galaxy. Scientists believe that many lenticular galaxies might have once been spiral galaxies that lost their gas and dust, stopping new stars from forming.
Where is NGC 507 Located?
NGC 507 is located in the constellation of Pisces. This constellation is named after the Latin word for "fishes." It's one of the 88 modern constellations and can be seen in the night sky. Finding galaxies like NGC 507 helps astronomers map out the universe and understand how galaxies are spread out.
How Far Away is NGC 507?
This galaxy is about 227 million light-years away from our Milky Way galaxy. A light-year is the distance light travels in one year. Since light travels incredibly fast (about 300,000 kilometers per second!), 227 million light-years is an enormous distance. When we look at NGC 507, we are actually seeing it as it was 227 million years ago, because that's how long its light took to reach us!
Who Discovered NGC 507?
NGC 507 was discovered by a famous astronomer named William Herschel. He found it on September 12, 1784. William Herschel was a very important figure in astronomy. He discovered many celestial objects, including the planet Uranus. His discoveries helped us learn a lot more about the universe around us.
Images for kids
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This image shows a vast cloud of hot gas (X-ray/red), surrounding high-energy bubbles (radio/blue) on either side of the bright white area around the supermassive black hole at the center of the galaxy.
