Centaurus A
Scientific overview
Centaurus A is a lenticular galaxy in the constellation Centaurus. It shines at apparent magnitude 7.22 and spans about 25.88 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 · NAME Centaurus A
| Distance | 1.1937e+7 ly | SIMBAD · catalogued |
| Physical size (major axis) | 89,866 ly | SIMBAD · derived |
| Physical size (minor axis) | 68,650 ly | SIMBAD · derived |
| Redshift (z) | 0.001825 ± 1.6678e-5 | NED · catalogued |
| Radial velocity | 562.167379 km/s | SIMBAD · measured |
| Right ascension (ICRS) | 201.365063 deg | SIMBAD · measured |
| Declination (ICRS) | -43.019113 deg | SIMBAD · measured |
Full field-level provenance
- Distance: Centre de données astronomiques de Strasbourg (CDS) · SIMBAD · mesDistance · dist · 2011ApJS..192....6L · distance indicator: T-F · catalogued value · source value 3.66 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 · 2024ApJ...964..172B · catalogued value · NED quality UUN · retrieved 2026-07-11
- Radial velocity: Centre de données astronomiques de Strasbourg (CDS) · SIMBAD · basic · rvz_radvel · 2022ApJS..261....2K · direct catalogue measurement · retrieved 2026-07-11
- Right ascension (ICRS): Centre de données astronomiques de Strasbourg (CDS) · SIMBAD · basic · ra · 2020A&A...644A.159C · direct catalogue measurement · retrieved 2026-07-11
- Declination (ICRS): Centre de données astronomiques de Strasbourg (CDS) · SIMBAD · basic · dec · 2020A&A...644A.159C · 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.
Other objects in Centaurus
| Object | Type | Mag | Size (′) |
|---|---|---|---|
| lam Cen Nebula | Cluster with nebulosity | 4.5 | 7.2 |
| Pearl ClusterC 97 · NGC 3766 | Open cluster | 5.3 | 6.9 |
| NGC 5138NGC 5138 | Open cluster | 5.33 | 4.2 |
| Omega CentauriC 80 · NGC 5139 | Globular cluster | 5.33 | 27 |
| NGC 5662NGC 5662 | Open cluster | 5.5 | 8.1 |
| NGC 5460NGC 5460 | Open cluster | 5.6 | 13.2 |
| NGC 5281NGC 5281 | Open cluster | 5.9 | 6.9 |
| NGC 5316NGC 5316 | Open cluster | 6 | 9.9 |
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.