NGC 104

Globular cluster NGC 104 (= Lacaille I.1 = Dunlop 18 = Bennett 2), class III, in Tucana

47 Tucanae

[NGC 104, AAT]
Right Ascension 00 : 24.1 (h:m)
Declination -72 : 05 (deg:m)
Distance 13.4 (kly)
Visual Brightness 4.03 (mag)
Apparent Dimension 30.9 (arc min)

Discovered by Lacaille 1751-52.

The second largest and second brightest globular cluster in the skies is situated so much south that, although a conspicuous naked-eye object, it was not discovered by astronomers before 1751, when Lacaille cataloged it in his list of southern nebulous objects.

The stars of 47 Tucanae are spread over a volume nearly 120 light years across. At their distance of 13,400 light years, they still cover an area of the sky of about the same apparent diameter as the full moon, about 30 minutes of arc. Globular cluster 47 Tucanae is approaching us at roughly 19 km/s.

The image in this page was obtained by David Malin with the 3.9-meter Anglo-Australian Telescope. This image is copyrighted and may be used for private purpose only. For any other kind of use, including internet mirroring and storing on CD-ROM, please contact the Photo Permissions Department of the Anglo Australian Observatory.

  • More information on this image (David Malin); wider field

    The Hubble Space Telescope has been used to investigate globular cluster 47 Tucanae:

  • Image before and after COSTAR refurbishment mission [caption]

    The Chandra X-ray Observatory satellite has observed NGC 104 in X-rays:

  • Chandra Reveals Nest of Tight Binaries in Dense Cluster 47 Tucanae

    As its name "47 Tucanae" indicates, this object was first cataloged as a star and numbered the 47th in Tucana.

    In John Caldwell's observing list. In the Astronomical League's Southern Sky Binocular Club list. Caldwell 106 in Patrick Moore's list.

  • SIMBAD Data of NGC 104
  • Observing Reports for NGC 104 (IAAC Netastrocatalog)

    Hartmut Frommert (spider@seds.org)
    Christine Kronberg (smil@lrz.uni-muenchen.de)

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    Last Modification: 29 Mar 1998, 13:15 MET