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AsteriaStar
Barred spiral galaxy · Antlia

NGC 2997

Deep skyNGC 2997PGC 27978

Scientific overview

NGC 2997 is a barred spiral galaxy in the constellation Antlia. It shines at apparent magnitude 9.41 and spans about 10.26 arcminutes of sky.

Observation guide

Difficulty
Small telescope
Recommended equipment
≈ 80–100 mm telescope
Best observed
Spring (S. evening sky)
Best hemisphere
Southern

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
Antlia
RA / Dec
9.7608h / -31.1911°
Hemisphere
Southern
Season
Spring

Precision measurements

Distances and velocities from SIMBAD and redshift from NED · NGC 2997

Distance2.5669e+7 lySIMBAD · catalogued
Physical size (major axis)76,608 lySIMBAD · derived
Physical size (minor axis)46,368 lySIMBAD · derived
Redshift (z)0.003633 ± 3.0000e-6NED · catalogued
Radial velocity1,081 km/sSIMBAD · measured
Right ascension (ICRS)146.411476 degSIMBAD · measured
Declination (ICRS)-31.190929 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 7.87 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 · 2011ApJS..197...28P · catalogued value · NED quality UUN · retrieved 2026-07-11
  • Radial velocity: Centre de données astronomiques de Strasbourg (CDS) · SIMBAD · basic · rvz_radvel · 2004MNRAS.350.1195M · direct catalogue measurement · retrieved 2026-07-11
  • Right ascension (ICRS): Centre de données astronomiques de Strasbourg (CDS) · SIMBAD · basic · ra · 2020yCat.1350....0G · direct catalogue measurement · retrieved 2026-07-11
  • Declination (ICRS): Centre de données astronomiques de Strasbourg (CDS) · SIMBAD · basic · dec · 2020yCat.1350....0G · 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.

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.