| IC 5332 | |
| Epoch: | J2000 |
| Type: | SABc |
| Ra: | [1] |
| Dist Ly: | [2] |
| Z: | 701 ± 6 km/s |
| Appmag V: | 10.72[3] |
| Size V: | 8.128' × 7.762' |
| Constellation Name: | Sculptor |
| Names: | IC 5332, PGC 71775 |
IC 5332, also known as PGC 71775 is an intermediate spiral galaxy about 30 million light-years away[2] in the constellation Sculptor. IC 5332 is a delicate spiral galaxy that is unusually faint and beautifully symmetrical. As viewed from earth it is nearly face on. It has a very small central bulge and open spiral arms accounting for its classification (SABc). The galaxy lies in the direction of the galactic south pole.[1]
IC 5332 is a late type spiral galaxy with observable star formation ongoing, though at such a low rate as to be a stable non-starburst galaxy.[4] It is a somewhat tenuous spiral galaxy with a very low surface brightness of just 23.8 mag/squ arc sec.
IC 5332 has also been observed in detail by the James Webb Space Telescope's Mid-InfraRed Instrument (MIRI).[5] MIRI's high-resolution mid-infrared image pierced the dust clouds obscuring the galaxy's spiral arms, revealing intricate structures in unprecedented detail.[6] These structures were previously hidden in both visible and ultraviolet light observations. This observation exemplifies the power of mid-infrared astronomy to study the previously hidden components of galaxies and unveil their secrets.