![[NGC 2683, D. Stone/A. Block, AOP]](Pics/n2683st.jpg)
UFO Galaxy
| Right Ascension | 08 : 52.7 (h:m) |
|---|---|
| Declination | +33 : 25 (deg:m) |
| Distance | 16000 (kly) |
| Visual brightness | 10.6 (mag) |
| Apparent dimension | 9.3 x 2.2 (arc min) |
NGC 2683 was discovered by William Herschel on February 5, 1788.
This spiral galaxy is viewed nearly edge-on from our perspective. Because of its appearance, it was nicknamed the "UFO Galaxy" by the Astronaut Memorial Planetarium and Observatory site. Note the small yellowish core in the center of the galaxy, consisting of older stars. Also note the fine details of the spiral structure, traced by dark dust in the brighter part of the disk (particularly well visible in the larger image.
The UFO is receding from us at 410 km/s, and from the Galactic Center at 375 km/s. This indicates that it is probably one of the nearby galaxies, perhaps at about 16 million light years.
The image in this page was obtained by Dick Stone when participating in the Kitt Peak Visitor Center's Advanced Observing Program. It is a composite of 4 CCD images: Luminance = 42 min, Red = 20 min, Green = 20 min, Blue = 40 min.
