Fornax Cluster
The Fornax Cluster is a cluster of galaxies lying at a distance of 19 megaparsecs (62 million light-years). It has an estimated mass of (7±2)×1013 solar masses, making it the second richest galaxy cluster within 100 million light-years, after the considerably larger Virgo Cluster. It may be associated with the nearby Eridanus Group. It lies primarily in the constellation Fornax, with its southern boundaries partially crossing into the constellation of Eridanus, and covers an area of sky about 6° across or about 28 sq degrees.
| Fornax Cluster | |
|---|---|
VLT Survey Telescope image of the Fornax Galaxy Cluster | |
| Observation data (Epoch J2000) | |
| Constellation(s) | Fornax & Eridanus |
| Right ascension | 3h 38m |
| Declination | -35° 27′ |
| Brightest member | NGC 1316 |
| Number of galaxies | 58 |
| Binding mass | 7±2 × 1013 M☉ |
| Other designations | |
| NGC 1399 Group, Abell S0373 or AGC 3733, G53, LGG 96 | |
The Fornax Cluster is a particularly valuable source of information about the evolution of such clusters due to its relatively close proximity to the Sun. It also shows the gravitational effects of a merger of a galaxy subgroup with the main galaxy group, which in turn lends clues about the associated galactic superstructure. At the centre of the cluster lies NGC 1399. Other cluster members include NGC 1316 (the group's brightest galaxy), NGC 1365, NGC 1427A, NGC 1427 and NGC 1404.