A Doodad Overhead in the Souhern Hemisphere

Environmental & Science Education, STEM, Earth & Space Science, Cosmology, Astrophysics, Astronomy

Ed Hessler

----A doodad: "any small device or object whose name you cannot remember or recall (also doohickey)." --Cambridge Dictionary.

There is also one above us known in astronomic circles as NGC 4372 aka the Dark Doodad.

It is the featured image in an Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD) entry where it is discussed. It is not one of those "hand me that doodad" size since it is some 30 million light years in length or close enough to reach -- 700 million light-years distant." 

 

However, in the southern hemisphere it can be seen with binoculars. The common name is perfect for it is sometimes the image we have of things not remembered or recalled.

The Dark Doodad and an explanation of what is going on in this part of the overhead may be seen here.