NGC 5128 (Active)
Galaxy in Centaurus
| R.A. | Dec. | Size | Mag | SB | Cnt.St | Type | Distance | Chart |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13h 25m 29.3s | -43° 01′ 17.2″ | 25.7′ | 6.8 | 13.4 | S0 pec | Active | -- | -- |
Source: POSS-2 UK Schmidt Red (STScI) | Field: 38′ × 38′
Background
NGC 5128 is the “Hamburger” or Centaurus A galaxy — a peculiar lenticular giant 13 million light-years away with a striking dust lane bisecting its elliptical body, the result of a recent merger with a smaller spiral. It is the closest radio galaxy to the Milky Way and hosts a super-massive black hole at its core.
My Observing Notes
25-cm (Meade 10-inch LX200, The Coffee Grinder): A bright (mag 6.8) galactic core with the characteristic thick dusty spiral arm cutting across it, clearly visible even at the 10-inch.(Friday, April 2025)
References
Charts
Ultra-wide view (~25° field)
Wide-field view with Telrad rings (4°, 2°, 0.5°)
Finderscope view (9×50 RACI, ~4.4° TFOV)
Eyepiece view — 35 mm Panoptic on 12-inch f/5 (1.6° TFOV)