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NGC7331 · NGC 7331

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NGC 7331
Credit KPNO/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/Paul Mortfield and Dietmar Kupke/Flynn Haase · CC BY 4.0
Chinese nameNGC 7331
TypeGalaxy
ConstellationPeg
RA22h37m
Dec+34°
Apparent magnitude9.5ᵐ
HemisphereNorthern
Best seasonAutumn
DifficultyHard
Focal length长焦 1000mm+

About

NGC 7331 lies about 40 million light-years away in Pegasus and is a highly inclined large spiral often called a 「Milky Way analog」 for its resemblance to our Galaxy. Clear dust lanes lie in front of its bright yellow bulge, which is unusually luminous and contains a counter-rotating inner stellar disk. Along the same line of sight scatter four far more distant background galaxies (collectively nicknamed the 「Deer Lick Group」), creating a real sense of deep-space depth. The famous compact group Stephan's Quintet sits within half a degree and can share the frame. With near and far galaxies grouped in one field, it offers striking deep-sky depth and is a popular autumn long-focus galaxy target.