NGC 1275

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NGC 1275
NGC 1275 Hubble.jpg
Hubble Space Telescope image of NGC 1275
Observation data (J2000 epoch)
Constellation Perseus
Right ascension 03h 19m 48.1s [1]
Declination +41° 30′ 42″ [1]
Redshift 5264 ± 11 km/s [1]
z=0.017559 [1]
Distance 222 million light-years
68.2 Mpc [2]
Group or cluster Perseus Cluster
Apparent magnitude  (V)12.6 [1]
Characteristics
Type cD;pec;NLRG [1]
Apparent size  (V)2.2′ × 1.7′ [1]
Other designations
Perseus A, [1] PGC 12429, [1] UGC 2669, [1] QSO B0316+413, Caldwell  24, 3C  84 [1]

NGC 1275 (also known as Perseus A or Caldwell 24) is a type 1.5 Seyfert galaxy [3] located around 237 million light-years away [2] in the direction of the constellation Perseus. NGC 1275 is a member of the large Perseus Cluster of galaxies.

Contents

Properties

NGC 1275 consists of two galaxies, a central type-cD galaxy in the Perseus Cluster, and a so-called high velocity system (HVS) which lies in front of it. The HVS is moving at 3000 km/s [4] towards the dominant system, and is believed to be merging with the Perseus Cluster. The HVS is not affecting the cD galaxy as it lies at least 200 thousand light years from it. [5] However tidal interactions are disrupting it and the ram pressure produced by its interaction with the intracluster medium of Perseus is stripping its gas as well as producing large amounts of star formation within it. [6]

Wide multi-wavelength composite view of NGC 1275. An active supermassive black hole in the galaxy powers strong jets of particles into the Perseus Cluster, causing the gas present to reach 60 million degrees Celsius and emit X-ray light (in blue). Dazzling Galaxy.jpg
Wide multi-wavelength composite view of NGC 1275. An active supermassive black hole in the galaxy powers strong jets of particles into the Perseus Cluster, causing the gas present to reach 60 million degrees Celsius and emit X-ray light (in blue).

The central cluster galaxy contains a massive network of spectral line emitting filaments, [7] which apparently are being dragged out by rising bubbles of relativistic plasma generated by the central active galactic nucleus. [8] Long gaseous filaments made up of threads of gas stretch out beyond the galaxy, into the multimillion-degree, X-ray–emitting gas that fills the cluster. The amount of gas contained in a typical thread is approximately one million times the mass of the Sun. They are only 200 light-years wide, are often very straight, and extend for up to 20,000 light-years. [9]

The existence of the filaments poses a problem. As they are much cooler than the surrounding intergalactic cloud, it is unclear how they have existed for such a long time, or why they have not warmed, dissipated or collapsed to form stars. [10] [11] One possibility is that weak magnetic fields (about one-ten-thousandth the strength of Earth's field) exert enough force on the ions within the threads to keep them together. [10] [11]

NGC 1275 contains 13 billion solar masses of molecular hydrogen that seems to be infalling from Perseus' intracluster medium in a cooling flow, both feeding its active nucleus [12] and fueling significant amounts of star formation [13]

The presence of an active nucleus demonstrates that a supermassive black hole is present in NGC 1275's center. The black hole is surrounded by a rotating disk of molecular gas. [14] High-resolution observations of the rotation of this disk obtained using adaptive optics at the Gemini North telescope indicate a central mass of approximately 800 million solar masses, including both the mass of the black hole and of the inner core of the gas disk. [15]

Two supernovae have been observed in NGC 1275: SN 1968A (type unknown, mag. 15.5), [16] and SN 2005mz (type Ia, mag. 18.2). [17]

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 6946</span> Galaxy in the constellations Cepheus & Cygnus

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Perseus Cluster</span> Galaxy cluster in the constellation Perseus

The Perseus cluster is a cluster of galaxies in the constellation Perseus. It has a recession speed of 5,366 km/s and a diameter of 863′. It is one of the most massive objects in the known universe, containing thousands of galaxies immersed in a vast cloud of multimillion-degree gas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 4526</span> Lenticular galaxy in the constellation Virgo

NGC 4526 is a lenticular galaxy with an embedded dusty disc, located approximately 55 million light-years from the Solar System in the Virgo constellation and discovered on 13 April 1784 by William Herschel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 4710</span> Galaxy in the constellation Coma Berenices

NGC 4710 is an edge-on lenticular galaxy in the northern constellation of Coma Berenices. It was discovered on March 21, 1784 by German-British astronomer William Herschel. This galaxy has a B-band visual magnitude of 11.60 and an angular size of 3.0′ × 0.8′. It is located at a distance of 54.5 ± 3.6 million light-years (16.7 ± 1.1 Mpc) from the Milky Way, and is receding with a heliocentric radial velocity of 1,129 km/s. This is a member of the Virgo Cluster, with a projected offset of ~6° from the cluster center and a cluster crossing time of around two billion years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 4921</span> Galaxy in the constellation Coma Berenices

NGC 4921 is a barred spiral galaxy in the Coma Cluster, located in the constellation Coma Berenices. It is about 320 million light-years from Earth. The galaxy has a nucleus with a bar structure that is surrounded by a distinct ring of dust that contains recently formed, hot blue stars. The outer part consists of unusually smooth, poorly distinguished spiral arms.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 4651</span> Spiral galaxy in the constellation Coma Berenices

NGC 4651 is a spiral galaxy located in the constellation of Coma Berenices that can be seen with amateur telescopes, at a distance not well determined that ranges from 35 million light years to 72 million light years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 1614</span> Galaxy in the constellation Eridanus

NGC 1614 is the New General Catalogue identifier for a spiral galaxy in the equatorial constellation of Eridanus. It was discovered on December 29, 1885 by American astronomer Lewis Swift, who described it in a shorthand notation as: pretty faint, small, round, a little brighter middle. The nebula was then catalogued by Danish-Irish astronomer J. L. E. Drayer in 1888. When direct photography became available, it was noted that this galaxy displayed some conspicuous peculiarities. American astronomer Halton Arp included it in his 1966 Atlas of Peculiar Galaxies. In 1971, Swiss astronomer Fritz Zwicky described it as a "blue post-eruptive galaxy, compact patchy core, spiral plumes, long blue jet SSW".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 3862</span> Galaxy in the constellation Leo

NGC 3862 is an elliptical galaxy located 300 million light-years away in the constellation Leo. Discovered by astronomer William Herschel on April 27, 1785, NGC 3862 is an outlying member of the Leo Cluster.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 2782</span> Galaxy in the constellation Lynx

NGC 2782 is a peculiar spiral galaxy that formed after a galaxy merger in the constellation Lynx. The galaxy lies 75 million light years away from Earth, which means, given its apparent dimensions, that NGC 2782 is approximately 100,000 light years across. NGC 2782 has an active galactic nucleus and it is a starburst and a type 1 Seyfert galaxy. NGC 2782 is mentioned in the Atlas of Peculiar Galaxies in the category galaxies with adjacent loops.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 4753</span> Galaxy in the constellation Virgo

NGC 4753 is a lenticular galaxy located about 60 million light-years away in the constellation of Virgo. NGC 4753 was discovered by astronomer William Herschel on February 22, 1784. It is notable for having distinct dust lanes that surround its nucleus. It is a member of the NGC 4753 Group of galaxies, which is a member of the Virgo II Groups, a series of galaxies and galaxy clusters strung out from the southern edge of the Virgo Supercluster.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 4522</span> Spiral galaxy in the constellation of Virgo

NGC 4522 is an edge-on spiral galaxy located about 60 million light-years away within the Virgo Cluster in the constellation Virgo. NGC 4522 is losing its molecular gas though ram-pressure stripping as it plows though the cluster at a speed of more than 10 million kilometres per hour. The galaxy was discovered by astronomer John Herschel on January 18, 1828.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 1272</span> Galaxy in the constellation Perseus

NGC 1272 is a massive elliptical galaxy located about 230 million light-years away in the constellation Perseus. It was discovered by astronomer Heinrich d'Arrest on February 14, 1863. NGC 1272 has an active nucleus and is the second brightest member of the Perseus Cluster after NGC 1275.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 1278</span> Galaxy in the constellation Perseus

NGC 1278 is an elliptical galaxy located about 230 million light-years away in the constellation Perseus. NGC 1278 was discovered by astronomer Heinrich d'Arrest on February 14, 1863. It was then rediscovered by astronomer Guillaume Bigourdan on October 22, 1884 and was later listed as IC 1907. NGC 1278 is a member of the Perseus Cluster and is a low-luminosity AGN (LLAGN).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 708</span> Galaxy in the constellation Andromeda

NGC 708 is an elliptical galaxy located 240 million light-years away in the constellation Andromeda and was discovered by astronomer William Herschel on September 21, 1786. It is classified as a cD galaxy and is the brightest member of Abell 262. NGC 708 is a weak FR I radio galaxy and is also classified as a type 2 Seyfert galaxy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 5965</span> Spiral galaxy in the constellation Draco

NGC 5965 is a spiral galaxy located in the constellation Draco. It is located at a distance of circa 150 million light years from Earth, which, given its apparent dimensions, means that NGC 5965 is about 260,000 light years across. It was discovered by William Herschel on May 5, 1788.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 4636</span> Galaxy in the constellation Virgo

NGC 4636 is an elliptical galaxy located in the constellation Virgo. It is a member of the NGC 4753 Group of galaxies, which is a member of the Virgo II Groups, a series of galaxies and galaxy clusters strung out from the southern edge of the Virgo Supercluster. It is located at a distance of about 55 million light years from Earth, which, given its apparent dimensions, means that NGC 4636 is about 105,000 light years across.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 5846</span> Galaxy in the constellation Virgo

NGC 5846 is an elliptical galaxy located in the constellation Virgo. It is located at a distance of circa 90 million light years from Earth, which, given its apparent dimensions, means that NGC 5846 is about 110,000 light years across. It was discovered by William Herschel on February 24, 1786. It lies near 110 Virginis and is part of the Herschel 400 Catalogue. It is a member of the NGC 5846 Group of galaxies, itself one of the Virgo III Groups strung out to the east of the Virgo Supercluster of galaxies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NeVe 1</span> Galaxy in the constellation Ophiuchus

NeVe 1 is a supergiant elliptical galaxy, which is the central, dominant member and brightest cluster galaxy (BCG) of the Ophiuchus Cluster. It lies at a distance of about 411 million light-years away from Earth and is located behind the Zone of Avoidance region in the sky. It is the host galaxy of the Ophiuchus Supercluster eruption, the most energetic astronomical event known.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 7720</span> Galaxy in the constellation Pegasus

NGC 7720 is an elliptical galaxy located in the constellation Pegasus. It is located at a distance of about 380 million light years from Earth, which, given its apparent dimensions, means that NGC 7720 is about 180,000 light years across. NGC 7720 is the main galaxy of Abell 2634 galaxy cluster and is a radio galaxy. It was discovered by William Herschel on September 10, 1784.

References

The location of NGC 1275 (circled in red) NGC1275Location.png
The location of NGC 1275 (circled in red)
  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 "NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database". Results for NGC 1275. Retrieved 2006-11-19.
  2. 1 2 "Distance Results for NGC 1275". NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database. Retrieved 2010-03-31.
  3. ↑ Ho, Luis C.; Filippenko, Alex V.; Sargent, Wallace L. W. (October 1997). "A Search for "Dwarf" Seyfert Nuclei. III. Spectroscopic Parameters and Properties of the Host Galaxies". Astrophysical Journal Supplement. 112 (2): 315–390. arXiv: astro-ph/9704107 . Bibcode:1997ApJS..112..315H. doi:10.1086/313041. S2CID   17086638.
  4. ↑ Minkowski R., 1957, in IAU Symp 4, Radio astronomy, p107
  5. ↑ Gillmon K., Sanders J.S., Fabian A.C., An X-ray absorption analysis of the high-velocity system in NGC 1275, 2004, MNRAS, 348, 159
  6. ↑ Gallagher, John S. III; Lee, M.; Canning, R.; Fabian, A.; O'Connell, R. W.; Sanders, J.; Zweibel, E. (2010). "Dusty Gas and New Stars: Disruption of the High Velocity Intruder Galaxy Falling Towards NGC 1275". Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society. 42: 552. Bibcode:2010AAS...21536308G.
  7. ↑ Lynds R., Improved Photographs of the NGC1275 Phenomenon, 1970, ApJ, 159, L151
  8. ↑ Hatch N.A., Crawford C.S., Johnstone R.M., Fabian A.C.: On the origin and excitation of the extended nebula surrounding NGC1275, 2006, MNRAS, 367, 433
  9. ↑ Hubble Sees Magnetic Monster in Erupting Galaxy Newswise, Retrieved on August 21, 2008.
  10. 1 2 A. C. Fabian; et al. (2008-08-21). "Magnetic support of the optical emission line filaments in NGC 1275". Nature . 454 (7207): 968–970. arXiv: 0808.2712 . Bibcode:2008Natur.454..968F. doi:10.1038/nature07169. PMID   18719583. S2CID   4321500.
  11. 1 2 Chang, Kenneth (2008-08-21). "Hubble Images Solve Galactic Filament Mystery". The New York Times .
  12. ↑ Lim, Jeremy; Ao, Yi Ping; Dinh-v-Trung, Dinh-V-Trung (2008). "Radially Inflowing Molecular Gas in NGC 1275 Deposited by an X-Ray Cooling Flow in the Perseus Cluster". The Astrophysical Journal. 672 (1): 252–265. arXiv: 0712.2979 . Bibcode:2008ApJ...672..252L. doi:10.1086/523664. S2CID   119249662.
  13. ↑ O'Connell, Robert (2007). "Star Formation in the Perseus Cluster Cooling Flow". HST Proposal ID #11207. Cycle 16: 11207. Bibcode:2007hst..prop11207O.
  14. ↑ Wilman, R. J.; Edge, A. C.; Johnstone, R. M. (2005). "The nature of the molecular gas system in the core of NGC 1275". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 359 (2): 755–764. arXiv: astro-ph/0502537 . Bibcode:2005MNRAS.359..755W. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2966.2005.08956.x . S2CID   18190288.
  15. ↑ Scharwächter, J.; McGregor, P. J.; Dopita, M. A.; Beck, T. L. (2013). "Kinematics and excitation of the molecular hydrogen accretion disc in NGC 1275". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 429 (3): 2315. arXiv: 1211.6750 . Bibcode:2013MNRAS.429.2315S. doi: 10.1093/mnras/sts502 . S2CID   119177559.
  16. ↑ Transient Name Server entry for SN 1968A. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  17. ↑ Transient Name Server entry for SN 2005mz. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
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