NGC 509 facts for kids
NGC 509 is a special type of galaxy called a lenticular galaxy. It is located in the Pisces constellation, which looks like two fish. This galaxy is about 105 million light-years away from our own galaxy, the Milky Way.
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What is NGC 509?
NGC 509 is a huge collection of stars, gas, and dust. It is very far from Earth. Scientists use powerful telescopes to study galaxies like NGC 509. By studying them, we can learn more about how the universe works.
What is a Lenticular Galaxy?
A lenticular galaxy is a bit like a mix between two other types of galaxies. Imagine a spiral galaxy like our Milky Way. It has a flat disk and spiral arms. Now imagine an elliptical galaxy. This is usually a big, round, or oval shape.
A lenticular galaxy, like NGC 509, has a central bulge of stars. It also has a flat disk, but it doesn't have clear spiral arms. It looks a bit like a lens, which is where its name comes from.
How Far Away is NGC 509?
NGC 509 is about 105 million light-years away. A light-year is the distance light travels in one year. Light travels incredibly fast, about 186,000 miles (300,000 kilometers) per second! So, 105 million light-years is a truly enormous distance. It means the light we see from NGC 509 today left that galaxy 105 million years ago.
Where Can We Find NGC 509?
This galaxy is located in the constellation Pisces. A constellation is a group of stars that form a pattern in the night sky. People have imagined different shapes in these patterns for thousands of years. Pisces is often seen as two fish connected by a string. You can usually find Pisces in the autumn sky in the Northern Hemisphere.
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You can find more information about NGC 509 in Spanish here: NGC 509 para niños
