Polarissima Borealis
Scientific overview
Polarissima Borealis is a lenticular galaxy in the constellation Ursa Minor. It shines at apparent magnitude 15 and spans about 1.14 arcminutes of sky.
Observation guide
Guidance follows standard observing practice, derived from the object's real magnitude and position. A dark, moonless sky always helps.
Location in the sky
Precision measurements
Distances and velocities from SIMBAD and redshift from NED · NGC 3172
| Redshift (z) | 0.020334 ± 9.7000e-5 | NED · catalogued |
| Radial velocity | 6,034 km/s | SIMBAD · measured |
| Right ascension (ICRS) | 176.804111 deg | SIMBAD · measured |
| Declination (ICRS) | 89.093085 deg | SIMBAD · measured |
Full field-level provenance
- Redshift (z): NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database · NED · ObjectLookup · Redshift · 1999PASP..111..438F · catalogued value · NED quality SUN · retrieved 2026-07-11
- Radial velocity: Centre de données astronomiques de Strasbourg (CDS) · SIMBAD · basic · rvz_radvel · 1999PASP..111..438F · 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.