NGC 54 is a spiral galaxy in the constellation of Cetus.
It was first discovered by Wilhelm Tempel in 1886, and he described the galaxy as a “very faint, pretty small, round.”
The galaxy is estimated to be around 90,000 light-years in diameter, making it just a little smaller than the Milky Way.
| Constellation | Cetus |
|---|---|
| Position | Ra 00:15:07.6 Dec -07:06:27 |
| Apparent mag. | 13.7 |
|---|---|
| Surface brightness | 13.1 |
| Size | 1.3′ x 0.4′ |
| Class | SB(r)a? |
| Dreyer’s description | vF pS R 5092 sp |
NGC 54 is situated close to the celestial equator. It is therefore partly visible from both hemispheres during certain times of the year.
Observing with a telescope of at least 6-8” in aperture is advised.
Hey, my name is Jeremy. I’m a passionate and seasoned astronomer who loves nothing more than observing the night sky. I also love researching, learning, and writing all things Space and the Universe. I created Astronomy Scope to share my knowledge, experience, suggestions, and recommendations of what I have learned along the way while helping anyone to get into and maximize their enjoyment of the hobby.