Galaxy NGC 2985

NGC 2985
NGC 2985: Image taken with Hubble Space Telescope. © ESA/Hubble & NASA, L. Ho [758]

Galaxy NGC 2985

The galaxy NGC 2985 was discovered by William Herschel on 3 April 1785 using his 18.3-inch reflecting telescope. He listed it as «bright nebula» I 78 and noted: «Very bright, considerably large, much brighter middle.» [463]

Revised+Historic NGC/IC Version 22/9, © 2022 Dr. Wolfgang Steinicke [277]
DesignationNGC 2985
TypeGx (Sb)
Right Ascension (J2000.0)09h 50m 21.4s
Declination (J2000.0)+72° 16' 43"
Diameter4.6 × 3.4 arcmin
Photographic (blue) magnitude11.2 mag
Visual magnitude10.4 mag
Surface brightness13.3 mag·arcmin-2
Redshift (z)0.004410
Distance derived from z18.63 Mpc
Metric Distance21.500 Mpc
Dreyer DescriptionvB, cL, R, psmbM, * inv f
Identification, RemarksWH I 78; h 629; GC 1909; UGC 5253; MCG 12-10-6; CGCG 333-4; CGCG 332-67; IRAS 09459+7230

Nearby Galaxies

Also in the same night on 3 April 1785 William Herschel discovered these fainter galaxies in the vicinity: NGC 2963 (very faint nebula, III 315), NGC 3027 (very large nebula, V 23), NGC 3065 (faint nebula, II 333) and NGC 3066 (faint nebula, II 334). [463]

John Herschel discovered the galaxy NGC 2957 (h 617) on 4 November 1831 (sweep 382), which had been overseen by his father. He recorded: «Extremely faint, has a star 13mag near.» [466]

Revised+Historic NGC/IC Version 22/9, © 2022 Dr. Wolfgang Steinicke [277]
NameRADecTypebMagvMagB-VSBDimPAzD(z)MDDreyer DescriptionIdentification, Remarks
NGC 2957 A09 47 15.3+72 59 12Gx (E1)15.814.81.011.80.3 × 0.2120.02299997.15eF, * 13 nrh 617; GC 1892; MCG 12-10-1; MK 121; NPM1G +73.0057
NGC 2957 B09 47 17.9+72 59 02Gx (E6)15.714.71.013.10.7 × 0.3420.02285696.54eF, * 13 nrh 617; GC 1892; MCG 12-10-2; CGCG 332-64; CGCG 333-2
NGC 296309 47 49.8+72 57 52Gx (SBab)14.313.50.813.01.2 × 0.61650.02289996.72vF, vS, R, bMWH III 315; h 619; GC 1895; UGC 5222; MCG 12-10-3; MK 122; IRAS 09431+7311; CGCG 333-3; CGCG 332-65
NGC 302709 55 40.3+72 12 15Gx (SBcd)12.211.80.414.03.9 × 1.41300.00352914.9119.760vF, vL, lE, rWH V 23; h 643; GC 1947; UGC 5316; MCG 12-10-9; CGCG 332-68; IRAS 09513+7226; CGCG 333-6; VV 358; KUG 0951+724
NGC 306510 01 55.1+72 10 12Gx (S0)13.512.51.013.51.7 × 1.5210.00667128.1831.300pF, vS, R, bM, * 11 nrWH II 333; h 654; GC 1969; UGC 5375; MCG 12-10-14; CGCG 333-10; 7ZW 303
NGC 306610 02 10.0+72 07 32Gx (SBb/P)13.612.90.712.91.1 × 11590.00683528.8732.400vF, vS, vglbMWH II 334; h 655; GC 1971; UGC 5379; MCG 12-10-15; MK 133; IRAS 09578+7222; KUG 0957+723; Z 0957.9+7222; CGCG 333-11

Finder Chart

The galaxy NGC 2985 is located in the constellation Ursa Maior. On 15 February it is in opposition with the Sun and is therefore highest in the sky at local midnight.

Ursa Maior: Galaxy NGC 2985
Finder Chart Galaxy NGC 2985
12:25
17:21 | 17.8°
22:17
Charts created using Cartes du Ciel (Skychart) and STScI Digitized Sky Survey. Limiting magnitudes: Constellation chart ~6.5 mag, DSS2 close-ups ~20 mag. Times are shown for timezone UTC, Latitude 0°, Longitude 0°, Horizon height 5°, Date 2026-05-30. [96, 160]

Objects Within a Radius of 15°

References