Hanny's Voorwerp
| Object type | Quasar ionization echo |
|---|---|
| Other designations | SDSS J094103.80+344334.2 |
| Constellation | Leo Minor |
| 09h 41m 03.81s | |
| Declination | +34° 43′ 34.3″ |
| Distance | 650 Mly (199 Mpc) |
In visual light (V) | |
| 19 | |
Notable features | Associated with spiral galaxy IC 2497 |
| Related media on Wikimedia Commons | |
Hanny's Voorwerp /ˈhʌniz ˈvɔːrwɛərp/ (Dutch for Hanny's object) is an instance of an astronomical phenomenon called a quasar ionization echo. It was discovered in 2007 by Dutch schoolteacher Hanny van Arkel while she was participating as a volunteer in the Galaxy Zoo project, part of the Zooniverse group of citizen science websites. Photographically, it appears as a bright blob close to spiral galaxy IC 2497 in the constellation Leo Minor.