Fornax Dwarf

Fornax Dwarf Spheroidal
The Fornax dwarf galaxy
Observation data (J2000 epoch)
Constellation	Fornax
Right ascension	02h 39m 59.3s[1]
Declination	−34° 26′ 57″[1]
Redshift	53 ± 9 km/s[1]
Distance	466 ± 10 kly (143 ± 3 kpc)[2]
Apparent magnitude (V)	9.3[1]
Characteristics
Type	dE0[1]
Apparent size (V)	17.0′ × 12.6′[1]
Notable features	has 6 globular clusters
Other designations
Fornax dSph,[3] Fornax Dwarf Elliptical,[3] Fornax Dwarf Galaxy,[3] Fornax dE,[3] PGC 10074 / 10093,[1] ESO 356-4

The Fornax Dwarf Spheroidal (formerly known as the Fornax System) is a dwarf elliptical galaxy in the constellation Fornax that was discovered in 1938 by Harlow Shapley. He discovered it while he was in South Africa on photographic plates taken by the 24 inch (61 cm) Bruce refractor at Boyden Observatory, shortly after he discovered the Sculptor Dwarf Galaxy.^[4]

The galaxy is a satellite of the Milky Way and contains six globular clusters, an unusually high number for its size;^[5] the largest, NGC 1049, was discovered before the galaxy itself. The galaxy is also receding from the Milky Way at 53 km/s. It mostly contains population II stars, but also has populations of young and intermediate age.^[2]