---
title: "NGC 3550"
url: "https://spacecatalog.org/object/ngc-3550"
release: "DR1"
licence: "CC-BY-SA-4.0"
citation: "SpaceCatalog. NGC 3550 [catalogue entry]. Data release DR1 (2026-08-21). https://spacecatalog.org/object/ngc-3550"
---

# NGC 3550

NGC 3550 is a spiral [galaxy](https://spacecatalog.org/galaxies) Sb in the constellation [Ursa Major](https://spacecatalog.org/constellation/ursa-major). Other catalogues list it as LEDA 33927, MCG +05-27-002 and NGC 3550S, among 6 designations in total. It was discovered in 1785.

## At a glance

- **WHAT IT IS:** Spiral galaxy
- **HOW BIG ON THE SKY:** 1.2′ — Small enough that the full Moon would cover it several times over.
- **WHERE TO LOOK:** [Ursa Major](https://spacecatalog.org/constellation/ursa-major) — The patch of sky it sits in, as seen from Earth.

## Properties

| Quantity | Value |
| --- | --- |
| CLASS | Spiral galaxy Sb |
| CONSTELLATION | Ursa Major |
| RIGHT ASCENSION (J2000) | 11h 10m 38.7s |
| DECLINATION (J2000) | +28° 46′ 06.0″ |
| DISCOVERED | 1785 |

## Catalogue data

### WHAT KIND OF THING IT IS

What the object is in itself, rather than how it happens to look from here.

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Hubble type | Sb |

### WHERE IT IS AND HOW IT MOVES

Position, motion across the sky and the size it covers on it. These are measurements of the object as seen from here, so every one of them depends on where here is.

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Major axis | 1.2′ |
| Minor axis | 1.16792′ |
| Position angle | 39° |

### WHEN IT WAS FOUND

Who first saw it, from where, and by what method.

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Discovered by | William Herschel |

### OTHER NAMES AND NUMBERS

The identifiers other catalogues file this object under, for anyone joining this data to theirs.

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| OpenNGC type code | GPair |
| Wikidata item | Q1105329 |
| Wikipedia article | NGC 3550 |

### WHERE THESE FIGURES CAME FROM

Which catalogue, paper or model each of the fields above was read from, where the source named one.

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Morphology from | SIMBAD (quality D) |

## Also known as

- LEDA: LEDA 33927
- MCG: MCG +05-27-002
- NGC: NGC 3550
- NGC: NGC 3550S
- PGC: PGC 33927
- UGC: UGC 6214

## Source

[OpenNGC](https://github.com/mattiaverga/OpenNGC) — CC-BY-SA-4.0

The producer asks: OpenNGC, Mattia Verga (github.com/mattiaverga/OpenNGC). Fields derived from it stay under CC BY-SA 4.0.

How this was made: https://spacecatalog.org/methods#source-openngc

## Cite this page

SpaceCatalog. NGC 3550 \[catalogue entry\]. Data release DR1 (2026-08-21). https://spacecatalog.org/object/ngc-3550

```bibtex
@misc{spacecatalog_ngc-3550,
  author       = {{SpaceCatalog}},
  title        = {{NGC 3550}},
  howpublished = {SpaceCatalog, data release DR1 (2026-08-21)},
  year         = {2026},
  url          = {https://spacecatalog.org/object/ngc-3550},
  note         = {Catalogue entry, data release DR1 (2026-08-21). Values from OpenNGC.}
}
```

OpenNGC — CC-BY-SA-4.0

Acknowledgement the producer asks for: OpenNGC, Mattia Verga (github.com/mattiaverga/OpenNGC). Fields derived from it stay under CC BY-SA 4.0.

The page itself, with its pictures, the sky map and the observing tools: https://spacecatalog.org/object/ngc-3550