astronomy

TXS 0033+252

TXS 0033+252 is a astronomy topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand TXS 0033+252 rather than just read about it. In short: TXS 0033+252 also known as NVSS J003616+253332, is a radio galaxy located in the constellation of Andromeda. The galaxy is approximately 5.94 billion light years (1,820 megaparsecs) away and has an apparent Z magnitude of 19.4.

Key takeaways

TXS 0033+252 belongs to astronomy; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect TXS 0033+252 to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of TXS 0033+252 from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

TXS 0033+252 also known as NVSS J003616+253332, is a radio galaxy located in the constellation of Andromeda. The galaxy is approximately 5.94 billion light years (1,820 megaparsecs) away and has an apparent Z magnitude of 19.4. It was discovered in 1987 by the Green Bank Telescope in the 87GB survey of radio sources. As of 2024, TXS 0033+252 is the largest known radio galaxy with an extent of 8 megaparsecs.

Physical properties The galaxy is a small, medium-mass galaxy that is not associated with any galaxy clusters, classifying it as a field galaxy. It has a diameter of 48,700 light years (14.94 kiloparsecs) based on a distance of 5.94 billion light years (1,820 megaparsecs) and an angular diameter of 1.693 arcsecs. It also has an estimated stellar mass of 195 billion M☉. In 2024, it was discovered from the LOFAR Two-Metre Sky Survey (LoTSS) that TXS 0033+252 hosted a radio structure with an extent of 7.985 megaparsecs across or 26.04 million light years based on an angular diameter of 19 arcmin. As of 2025, this is believed to be the largest radio structure of any radio galaxy, succeeding Porphyrion in size which is 7 megaparsecs across.

See also List of largest radio galaxies, includes TXS 0033+252. Porphyrion, previous largest radio galaxy.

References

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with TXS 0033+252

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what TXS 0033+252 claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In astronomy, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to TXS 0033+252 before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about TXS 0033+252 ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of TXS 0033+252

In research: TXS 0033+252 appears in astronomy research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses TXS 0033+252 in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: TXS 0033+252 is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Active galaxies, Andromeda (constellation), Astronomical objects discovered in 1987, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for TXS 0033+252 outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study TXS 0033+252 in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what TXS 0033+252 means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain TXS 0033+252 out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is TXS 0033+252 in simple terms?

Why does TXS 0033+252 matter?

Because it connects several astronomy ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study TXS 0033+252?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on TXS 0033+252.