Messier 32 | |
---|---|
![]() Dwarf Satellite Galaxy Messier 32 | |
Observation data (J2000 epoch) | |
Constellation | Andromeda |
Right ascension | 00h 42m 41.8s[1] |
Declination | +40° 51′ 55″[1] |
Redshift | −200 ± 6 km/s[1] |
Distance | 2.49 ± 0.08 Mly (763 ± 24 kpc)[2][3][4][a] |
Apparent magnitude (V) | 8.08[5][6] |
Characteristics | |
Type | cE2[1] |
Apparent size (V) | 8′.7 × 6′.5[1] |
Notable features | Satellite galaxy of the Andromeda Galaxy |
Other designations | |
M 32, NGC 221,[1] UGC 452,[1] PGC 2555,[1] Arp 168,[1] LEDA 2555 |
Messier 32 (also known as M32 and NGC 221) is a dwarf "early-type" galaxy about 2,650,000 light-years (810,000 pc) from the Solar System, appearing in the constellation Andromeda. M32 is a satellite galaxy of the Andromeda Galaxy (M31) and was discovered by Guillaume Le Gentil in 1749.
The galaxy is a prototype of the relatively rare compact elliptical (cE) class. Half the stars concentrate within an effective radius (inner core) of 330 light-years (100 pc).[7][8] Densities in the central stellar cusp increase steeply, exceeding 3×107 (that is, 30 million) M☉ pc−3 (that is, per parsec cubed) at the smallest sub-radii resolved by HST,[9] and the half-light radius of this central star cluster is around 6 parsecs (20 ly).[10] Like more ordinary elliptical galaxies, M32 contains mostly older faint red and yellow stars with practically no dust or gas and consequently no current star formation.[11] It does, however, show hints of star formation in the relatively recent past.[12]
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