Elliptical Galaxy M-32 (NGC 221)

This is a 10 minute exposure with an STL-1301E CCD camera thru Kopernik's 20-inch telescope. By using a focal reducing lens we cut the normal F/8.1 focal ratio down to F/5.3. The field of view is about 20x25 arc minutes, with north at the top.

Note that the bright and dark areas filling most of the upper right half of the image is a part of the Andromeda Galaxy, M-31.

LE GENTIL: 'While observing the Andromeda Nebula with a fine 18 foot telescope ... I saw another small nebula, about one minute in diameter which appeared to throw out two small rays; one to the right and the other to the left.'

C. MESSIER: '(Aug. 3rd, 1764) 'Small nebula without a star. Round, much fainter than M 31.'

Binoculars show M-32 as a fuzzy 9th magnitude "star" just to the south of the central mass of the Andromeda Galaxy, M-31. Messier said that it was first seen by Le Gentil in 1749.

Quote from K.G. Jones's Messier's Nebulae & Star Clusters:

"M-32 is an elliptical galaxy like the other companions M-31. The total mass of M 32 is about 3 billion solar masses and its diameter is about 8,000 light-years. Although probably formed at the same time as M 31, M-32 is at a much later stage of development. It appears to have lost most, if not all, of its interstellar gas and dust, after having passed more than once through the disc of the larger galaxy."

• M-32, NGC 221
• Magnitude: 9.1
• Constellation: Andromeda
• RA: 00h 42m 41.8s
• Dec: +40d 51' 55" Epoch 2000
• Size (mins): 8.8 x 6.5
• Classification: cE2
                          Compact Elliptical
  
  

George Normandin, KAS

November 30th, 2008