NGC 704 facts for kids
Imagine looking up at the night sky and seeing countless stars! Some of those stars are part of huge groups called galaxies. One of these amazing galaxies is named NGC 704. It's a special type of galaxy that looks a bit like a lens.
What is NGC 704?
NGC 704 is a fascinating galaxy located very far away from our own Milky Way galaxy. Scientists study galaxies like NGC 704 to learn more about the universe.
A Galaxy Far, Far Away
NGC 704 is incredibly distant from Earth. It is about 218 million light-years away. A light-year is the distance light travels in one year. Since light travels super fast, 218 million light-years is an enormous distance! This means the light we see from NGC 704 today actually left the galaxy 218 million years ago.
What Kind of Galaxy is it?
NGC 704 is a lenticular galaxy. The word "lenticular" means it looks like a lens. Imagine a spiral galaxy (like our Milky Way) that has used up most of its gas and dust. It no longer forms many new stars. Lenticular galaxies have a bright bulge in the middle, like a spiral galaxy, but they don't have clear spiral arms. Instead, they have a smooth, disk-like shape.
Where Can We Find It?
You can find NGC 704 in the Andromeda constellation. A constellation is a group of stars that form a pattern in the night sky. The Andromeda constellation is named after a princess in Greek mythology. While you can see some stars in the Andromeda constellation with your eyes, you would need a powerful telescope to see NGC 704 itself.
