Map of the Universe
NGC7538
Star-forming region · Diffuse nebula in the constellation Cepheus
About NGC7538
NGC7538 is about 8,628 light-years from the Sun, so the light we see from it left about 8,628 years ago.
It is 31,214 light-years from the centre of the Milky Way.
The map lists it as a star-forming region (star-forming region (maser)) and shows it among the stars around the Sun, drawn on the plane of the Milky Way.
A water or methanol maser in a massive star-forming region. Radio telescopes measured its parallax directly, which is how the Milky Way's spiral arms are mapped.
Key numbers
| Distance | 8,628 light-years (2,646 pc) |
|---|---|
| Distance from the Galactic centre | 31,214 light-years |
| Galactic coordinates | l = 111.54°, b = +0.78° |
| Parallax | 0.378 mas (VLBI) |
| Spiral arm (Reid 2019) | Perseus Arm |
Data: Reid et al. 2019.
Where it is
Its place in the universe, from the inside out: Perseus Arm › Milky Way › Local Group › Virgo Supercluster › Laniakea Supercluster › Observable universe.
Zoom out to see it in context: Local Arm, a view about 12,000 light-years across.
From Wikipedia
NGC 7538, near the more famous Bubble Nebula, is located in the constellation Cepheus. It is located about 9,100 light-years from Earth. It is home to the biggest yet discovered protostar which is about 300 times the size of the Solar System.
Excerpt from the Wikipedia article NGC 7538, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Nearby on the map
- Bubble Nebula Nebula
- Tycho's supernova remnant Supernova remnant
- NGC281 Star-forming region
- NGC 7789 Open star cluster
- Cassiopeia A Supernova remnant
- Double Cluster Open star cluster