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NGC 7006 is one of the most remote globular clusters orbiting the Milky Way; it’s currently 135,000 light years away – 1.35 quintillion (1,350,000,000,000,000,000) kilometers distant. For comparison, the Milky Way itself is about 100,000 light years across. Not only that, but NGC 7006 is still heading out, increasing that distance, and it’s not exactly taking its time: it’s moving away at an astonishing 380 km/sec (250 miles/sec)! Measurements of its position taken over a 40 year time span also give an indication of the shape of its orbit. The most far-flung part of its path — called apogalacticon, a word you gotta love — is a stunning 330,000 light years distant!
via blogs.discovermagazine.com
The word for today is "apogalacticon". Please use it 3 times today. There will be a quiz on Friday.
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