UGCA 292

UGCA 292
Image of UGCA 292 by the Hubble Space Telescope
Observation data
Constellation	Canes Venatici
Right ascension	12h 38m
Declination	+32° 45'
Distance	10 million ly
Characteristics
Type	Dwarf irregular
Notable features	Gas rich and metal poor
Other designations
CVn I dwA

UGCA 292 (also known as CVn l dwA) is an extremely metal-poor irregular dwarf galaxy being the third lowest metallicity galaxy discovered. It also has the record for being of the nearest metal-poor galaxies known. It is located at a relatively nearby distance of 3.1 mpc in the constellation of Canes Venatici. ^{[1] [2]}

The galaxy is unevolved with lots of gas making up a significant fraction the galaxies mass and the low metallicity. ^[3]

Scientific importance

Due to its close distance to our galaxy (the Milky Way), it provides a unique opportunity to study gas rich galaxies with high star formation but low metallicity. The close proximity also makes it possible to resolve stellar populations. ^[1]

References

1. van Zee, Liese (July 2001). "The Stellar Population of UGCA 292, An Extreme Low Metallicity Galaxy". HST Proposal: 9044. Bibcode:2001hst..prop.9044V.
2. Ford, Dominic. "UGCA 292 (Galaxy)". In-The-Sky.org. Retrieved 2025-08-01.
3. van Zee, Liese (November 2000). "Discovery of an Extremely Metal-Poor Galaxy: Optical Spectroscopy of UGCA 292". The Astrophysical Journal. 543 (1): L31 –L34. arXiv: astro-ph/0009123 . Bibcode:2000ApJ...543L..31V. doi:10.1086/318176. ISSN   0004-637X.