Maffei 2

Maffei 2
Observation data (J2000 epoch)
Constellation	Cassiopeia
Right ascension	02h 41m 55.1s[1]
Declination	+59° 36′ 15″[1]
Redshift	-17 ± 5 km/s[1]
Distance	9.8 Mly[2]
Type	SAB(rs)bc[1]
Apparent dimensions (V)	5′.82 × 1′.57[1]
Apparent magnitude (V)	16.0[1]
Other designations
UGCA 39,[1] PGC 10217,[1] Sharpless 197
See also: Galaxy, List of galaxies

Maffei 2 is an intermediate spiral galaxy about 10 million light-years away^[2] in the constellation Cassiopeia. Maffei 2 and Maffei 1 were both discovered by Paolo Maffei in 1968 from their infrared emission. Maffei 2 lies in the Zone of Avoidance and is about 99.5% obscured by the Milky Way's foreground dust clouds,^[3] and as a result is barely detectable at optical wavelengths. It had been suggested soon after its discovery that Maffei 2 may be a member of the Local Group, but it is now thought to be a member of another nearby group, the IC 342/Maffei Group, the group of galaxies that is the closest to the Local Group .

Maffei 2 is the spiral galaxy near the bottom of this image.

Maffei 2 is visible in this image.

See also

• Dwingeloo 1
• NGC 1300

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h} "NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database". Results for Maffei 2. http://nedwww.ipac.caltech.edu/. Retrieved 2006-11-25. 
2. ^ ^{a b} Karachentsev, I. D. (2005). "The Local Group and Other Neighboring Galaxy Groups". Astronomical Journal 129 (1): 178–188. arXiv:astro-ph/0410065. Bibcode 2005AJ....129..178K. doi:10.1086/426368. 
3. ^ "The Hidden Galaxy". NASA. http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/spitzer/multimedia/pia13789.html. Retrieved 2011-05-03. 

External links

• SIMBAD: UGCA 39 -- Galaxy
• SEDS: Spiral Galaxy Maffei 2
• Maffei2
• Galaxies Beyond the Heart: Maffei 1 and 2 = Astronomy Picture of the Day 2010 March 9
• Maffei 2 on WikiSky: DSS2, SDSS, GALEX, IRAS, Hydrogen α, X-Ray, Astrophoto, Sky Map, Articles and images