We use cookies to deliver essential features and to measure their performance. By using this site you accept our Privacy Policies.
A Complete Guide to the Solar System and the Night Sky
Content Menu
Major Objects Bright Comets Asteroids Near Earth Objects Space Probes Constellations & Deep Sky Objects Supernovae
3D Solar System Viewer Online Planetarium Jupiter's Galilean Moons Saturn's Rings and Moons Solar Eclipses
Set Observing Location What is Visible Now? The Sky Tonight Moon Calendar Create Quick Access Page
Articles Donate
About
FAQ
Feedback
Objects
Major Objects Bright Comets Asteroids Near Earth Objects Space Probes Constellations & Deep Sky Objects Supernovae
Charts
3D Solar System Viewer Online Planetarium Jupiter's Galilean Moons Saturn's Rings and Moons
Plan Observations
Set Observing Location What is Visible Now? The Sky Tonight Jupiter's Galilean Moons Moon Calendar Create Quick Access Page
Solar Eclipses
More
Articles Donate
About
FAQ
Feedback
✖ Donate now and help us to keep this site free and ad-free!
public Observing fromLocation: Greenwich, United Kingdom edit_location_alt
north SunriseRise: 7:48  
clear_day Transit: 11:49  
SunsetSet: 15:50 south
sleep  • Nighttime • What's Visible Now?

Support us

If you like TheSkyLive.com please consider a donation to support this project. Thank you!

In Evidence

Best Places to See the 2024 American Eclipse Based on Historical Weather Data
Using historical cloud coverage data we suggest the locations that could provide the better chances to have clear skies on April 8, 2024 to observe the eclipse. Read more...

Other deep sky objects in Centaurus
All Constellations »  Centaurus »  Deep Sky Objects » 

IC 3986 - Elliptical Galaxy in Centaurus

Altitude: -44.1°   Azimuth: 88.7°   Direction: East

IC 3986 is a Elliptical Galaxy in the Centaurus constellation. IC 3986 is situated south of the celestial equator and, as such, it is more easily visible from the southern hemisphere.

IC 3986
Galaxy
Centaurus

IC 3986 is below the horizon from Greenwich, United Kingdom edit_location_alt.

Altitude: -44.1°
Azimuth: 88.7°
Direction: East

See also IC 3986 rise and set times.

Given its B magnitude of 13.35, IC 3986 is visible with the help of a telescope having an aperture of 10 inches (250mm) or more.

Available Resources for IC 3986 - Elliptical Galaxy in Centaurus

Photometric information of IC 3986

The following table lists the magnitude of IC 3986 in different bands of the electomagnetic spectrum (when available), from the B band (445nm wavelength, corresponding to the Blue color), to the V band ( 551nm wavelength, corresponding to Green/Yellow color), to the J, H, K bands (corresponding to 1220nm, 1630nm, 2190nm wavelengths respectively, which are colors not visible to the human eye).

13.35
9.8
9.1
8.85

For more information about photometry in astronomy, check the photometric system article on Wikipedia.

The surface brightess reported below is an indication of the brightness per unit of angular area of IC 3986.

23.54 mag/arcsec2

Apparent size of IC 3986

The following table reports IC 3986 apparent angular size. The green area displayed on top of the DSS2 image of IC 3986 is a visual representation of it.
1.85 arcmin
1.38 arcmin
124°

Digitized Sky Survey image of IC 3986

The image below is a photograph of IC 3986 from the Digitized Sky Survey 2 (DSS2 - see the credits section) taken in the red channel. The area of sky represented in the image is 0.5x0.5 degrees (30x30 arcmins).

Image of IC 3986 - Elliptical Galaxy in Centaurus star
/>
DSS2 image of IC 3986 in the Red band. The green region on the image is a representation of the major (1.85 arcmin) and minor (1.38 arcmin) axes of the object's apparent size.

IC 3986 - Elliptical Galaxy in Centaurus morphological classification

IC 3986 - Elliptical Galaxy in Centaurus is classified as Elliptical (E) according to the Hubble and de Vaucouleurs galaxy morphological classification. The diagram below shows a visual representation of the position of IC 3986 - Elliptical Galaxy in Centaurus in the Hubble de Vaucouleurs sequence.

IC 3986 - Elliptical Galaxy in Centaurus
Visualization of the morphological classification of IC 3986 - Elliptical Galaxy in Centaurus, Elliptical (E).
Credits for the background image: Antonio Ciccolella / M. De Leo / CC BY

Celestial coordinates and finder chart of IC 3986

Celestial coordinates for the J2000 equinox of IC 3986 are provided in the following table:

13h 01m 32s
-32° 17’ 27”

The simplified sky charts below show the position of IC 3986 in the sky. The first chart has a field of view of 60° while the second one has a field of view of 10°.

Finder chart IC 3986 - Elliptical Galaxy in Centaurus star
Simplified finder chart for IC 3986 - Elliptical Galaxy in Centaurus.

Finder chart IC 3986 - Elliptical Galaxy in Centaurus star
Simplified finder chart for IC 3986 - Elliptical Galaxy in Centaurus.

Rise ans set times of IC 3986 from your location

Location: Greenwich, United Kingdom edit_location_alt
Latitude: 51° 28’ 47” N
Longitude: 0° 00’ 00” E
Timezone: Europe/London

Today's IC 3986 - Elliptical Galaxy in Centaurus rise, transit and set times from Greenwich, United Kingdom edit_location_alt are the following (all times relative to the local timezone Europe/London):

Azimuth: 122.3°
Max altitude: 6.2°
Azimuth: 237.7°