NGC-4151

FAIL2 FAIL3 

Alternate Names

Eye of Sauron

Type

Supermassive

Location

in the constellation Leo

Distance

43 million light-years (13.3 megaparsecs)

Mass

45 million times the mass of the Sun

Size

Diameter equal to the size of the orbit of Saturn

Discovery Methods

• Measuring the motions of gas
• Measuring the motions of stars

A combined view in many wavelengths shows the central region of NGC 4151. This image spans about 2,000 light-years. [NASA/CXC/CfA/J.Wang et al.; Isaac Newton Group of Telescopes, La Palma/Jacobus Kapteyn Telescope; NS]

This document was last modified: May 11, 2012.