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Caldwell 40
Hubble · Caldwell 40 · NASA, ESA, and P. Erwin (Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics); Processing: Gladys Kober (NASA/Catholic University of America)

Caldwell 40

Galaxy in Leo · 69.331 million light-years (est. from redshift)

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TypeGalaxy
ConstellationLeo
Right ascension11h 20m 04s
Declination+18° 21′
Object distance69.331 million light-years (est. from redshift)
Apparent magnitude11
Apparent size2.9′ (arc-minutes)
Approx. true diameter58,486 light-years across
Also known asC40 · NGC 3626
Caldwell 40 is a galaxy (NGC 3626) in the constellation Leo — a distant island of stars far beyond the Milky Way. It appears as number 40 in the Caldwell catalogue, Sir Patrick Moore's 1995 list of 109 bright deep-sky objects for amateur astronomers. It spans roughly 2.9 arc-minutes on the sky. At about magnitude 11, it is a fainter object best hunted with a moderate telescope under dark skies.

Although it appears about 2.9′ wide on the sky, its real span is roughly 58,486 light-years — the difference is a measure of how far away it lies.

Observing Caldwell 40

Caldwell 40 lies in the constellation Leo and is best placed in the evening sky around March. Its maximum altitude above the horizon depends on your latitude. Lying near the celestial equator, it can be seen from both hemispheres. It is faint — plan for a moderate telescope and a dark, moonless sky. Note that the listed magnitude is spread across the whole object — diffuse galaxies and nebulae are often harder to see than the number alone suggests, so dark, moonless skies help a great deal.

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Sources

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