MB 3

The MB 3 is a dwarf spheroidal galaxy in the constellation Cassiopeia and is about 10 million light -years away from our solar system. The galaxy was discovered in 1997 during an optical survey of the Maffei group.

MB 3 is a satellite galaxy of Dwingeloo 1 and is located in the galactic plane of the Milky Way, the so-called Zone of Avoidance, which significantly complicates the observation.

Properties

The dwarf galaxy is a member of the Maffei group, a group of galaxies in the vicinity of the Local Group. The apparent diameter of 3 MB is approximately 1.9 arc minutes, an absolute value of about 2 kpc corresponds with their distance non 3 Mpc.

In optical images it shows up as strongly flattened, oval and diffuse nebula about 9.2 arc minutes away from Dwingeloo 1 It has not been demonstrated molecular or neutral hydrogen gas in the dwarf galaxy suitable for classification as spheroidal dwarf galaxy.