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Spiral galaxy · Cetus

IC 127

Deep skyIC 127PGC 5581

Scientific overview

IC 127 is a spiral galaxy in the constellation Cetus. It shines at apparent magnitude 9.2 and spans about 1.69 arcminutes of sky.

Observation guide

Difficulty
Small telescope
Recommended equipment
≈ 80–100 mm telescope
Best observed
Autumn (evening sky)
Best hemisphere
Both (equatorial)

Guidance follows standard observing practice, derived from the object's real magnitude and position. A dark, moonless sky always helps.

Location in the sky

Constellation
Cetus
RA / Dec
1.4966h / -6.9801°
Hemisphere
Both
Season
Autumn

Precision measurements

Distances and velocities from SIMBAD and redshift from NED · IC 127

Distance1.3470e+8 lySIMBAD · catalogued
Physical size (major axis)66,220 lySIMBAD · derived
Physical size (minor axis)17,633 lySIMBAD · derived
Redshift (z)0.006655 ± 0.00014NED · catalogued
Radial velocity1,866 km/sSIMBAD · measured
Right ascension (ICRS)22.448329 degSIMBAD · measured
Declination (ICRS)-6.980058 degSIMBAD · measured
Full field-level provenance
  • Distance: Centre de données astronomiques de Strasbourg (CDS) · SIMBAD · mesDistance · dist · 2022MNRAS.511.6160K · distance indicator: T-F · catalogued value · source value 41.3 Mpc · retrieved 2026-07-11
  • Physical size (major axis): Centre de données astronomiques de Strasbourg (CDS) · derived (OpenNGC angular size × SIMBAD distance) · physical size = angular size × distance (small-angle); angular size from OpenNGC, distance from SIMBAD mesDistance · derived · retrieved 2026-07-11
  • Physical size (minor axis): Centre de données astronomiques de Strasbourg (CDS) · derived (OpenNGC angular size × SIMBAD distance) · physical size = angular size × distance (small-angle); angular size from OpenNGC, distance from SIMBAD mesDistance · derived · retrieved 2026-07-11
  • Redshift (z): NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database · NED · ObjectLookup · Redshift · 1993AJ....105.1637H · catalogued value · NED quality SUN · retrieved 2026-07-11
  • Radial velocity: Centre de données astronomiques de Strasbourg (CDS) · SIMBAD · basic · rvz_radvel · 2014MNRAS.443.1044M · direct catalogue measurement · retrieved 2026-07-11
  • Right ascension (ICRS): Centre de données astronomiques de Strasbourg (CDS) · SIMBAD · basic · ra · 2006AJ....131.1163S · direct catalogue measurement · retrieved 2026-07-11
  • Declination (ICRS): Centre de données astronomiques de Strasbourg (CDS) · SIMBAD · basic · dec · 2006AJ....131.1163S · direct catalogue measurement · retrieved 2026-07-11

Physical size is derived from the OpenNGC angular size and the catalogued distance (small-angle: size = angle × distance). Redshift is the object's measured redshift — a negative value is a blueshift (the galaxy is approaching, its motion dominated by local rather than cosmic expansion). Fields a source did not provide are omitted, never invented.

ObjectTypeMagSize (′)
NGC 247C 62 · NGC 247Barred spiral galaxy9.2119.68
M 77M 77 · NGC 1068Spiral galaxy9.296.11
IC 1613Irregular galaxy9.5418.32
NGC 246C 56 · NGC 246Planetary nebula10.94.08

Sources

The primary and reference sources this topic draws on.

  • OpenNGCOpenNGC (M. Verga) — NGC/IC, Messier, and Caldwell catalogue data

    Openly-licensed deep-sky catalogue: object types, positions, magnitudes, sizes, morphology, and cross-identifiers.