M32 is an elliptical galaxy that is a satellite companion of, and gravitationally bound to, the Andromeda Galaxy. Messier listed this galaxy as object number 32 in his catalog, but gave Le Gentil credit for seeing it first in 1749. In the smallest amateur telescopes or binoculars, M32 appears as a 8th magnitude fuzzy "star." In the largest telescopes, it resolves into millions of stars. M32 is one of the closest elliptical galaxies to us. M32 is about 2,400 light-years in diameter and is about 2,900,000 light-years away. It is one of four small elliptical drawfs that are companions to M31. The other three are M110, NGC 185 and NGC 147. The image below shows where M32 is located with reference to the Andromeda Galaxy.
The above image was taken with a Takahashi Epsilon 250 and ST-8XE CCD. The image below was taken with a Takahashi FS-78 refractor using an ST-8E CCD.
M32 (NGC 221)
Constellation: Andromeda
RA: 00h 42m 54s Dec: +40d 53' 10"
July 3, 2005
Image by Sid Leach
Scottsdale, Arizona
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