Sag DEG facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sag DEG |
|
|---|---|
| Observation data (J2000 epoch) | |
| Constellation | Sagittarius |
| Right ascension | 18h 55m 19.5s |
| Declination | -30° 32′ 43″ |
| Redshift | 140 ± ? km/s |
| Distance | 65 ± 7 kly (20 ± 2 kpc) |
| Type | dSph(t) |
| Apparent dimensions (V) | 450′.0 × 216′.0 |
| Apparent magnitude (V) | 4.5 |
| Notable features | Heading for a collision with the Milky Way |
| Other designations | |
| Sagittarius dwarf elliptical galaxy, Sgr dSph, Sagittarius dwarf spheroidal, Sgr I Dwarf | |
| See also: Galaxy, List of galaxies | |
The Sagittarius Dwarf Elliptical Galaxy, often called Sag DEG, is a small galaxy that orbits our own Milky Way galaxy. Think of it like a tiny moon orbiting a giant planet. It's also known as the Sagittarius dwarf spheroidal galaxy.
This small galaxy is shaped a bit like a loop. It contains four groups of stars called globular clusters. Scientists first found the main cluster in 1994. Sag DEG is about 10,000 light-years wide. It is also about 70,000 light-years away from Earth.
Sag DEG's Journey Around the Milky Way
Sag DEG travels in a special path around the Milky Way. This path is called a polar orbit. It means the galaxy passes right through the flat part of the Milky Way. It stays about 50,000 light-years from the center of our galaxy. This distance is about one-third of the way to the Large Magellanic Cloud.
Over time, Sag DEG has moved through the Milky Way's main disk many times. This looping journey makes it a very interesting galaxy to study.
Not to Be Confused With Other Galaxies
It's important not to mix up Sag DEG with another galaxy. There is a different small galaxy called the Sagittarius dwarf irregular galaxy, or Sag DIG. That galaxy is much farther away, about 3.4 million light-years from us.
Images for kids
-
Palomar 12, a star cluster that scientists think was once part of Sag DEG. It might have been pulled away about 1.7 billion years ago.
