NGC 1291

Last updated
NGC 1291
NGC 1291 GALEX.jpg
This composite image of NGC 1291 is processed primarily from data collected by NASA's Galaxy Evolution Explorer in December 2003. The blue in this image is ultraviolet light captured by GALEX's long wavelength detector, the green is ultraviolet light detected by its short wavelength detector, and the red in the image is visible light courtesy of data from the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory in Chile. [1]
Observation data (J2000 epoch)
Constellation Eridanus
Right ascension 03h 15m 29.6s [2]
Declination −41° 17′ 25.6″ [2]
Redshift 0.002799 (839 ± 2 km/s) [2]
Distance 33 Mly
Apparent magnitude  (V)9.39 [2]
Absolute magnitude  (V)−21.05 [3]
Characteristics
Type (R_1)SB(l)0/a [2]
Apparent size  (V)9′.8 × 8′.1 [2]
Notable featuresinner bar and outer ring structure
Other designations
PGC 012209, [2]

NGC 1291, also known as NGC 1269, [4] is a ring galaxy with an unusual inner bar and outer ring structure located about 33 million light-years away in the constellation Eridanus. [1] It was discovered by James Dunlop in 1826 and subsequently entered into the New General Catalogue as NGC 1291 by Johan Ludvig Emil Dreyer. John Herschel then observed the same object in 1836 and entered it into the catalog as NGC 1269 without realizing that it was a duplicate. [4] This galaxy was cited as an example of a "transitional galaxy" by NASA's Galaxy Evolution Explorer team in 2007. [5]

Contents

Properties

NGC 1291 faces towards the Solar System nearly face-on. It has a prominent bulge, and is forming stars in its disk, albeit slowly, being a lenticular galaxy. [3]

Like other early-type galaxies, NGC 1291 has a population of old globular clusters. About 65% of them belong to the "blue" population that is more metal-poor, while the rest are "red" and more metal-rich. [3]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Globular cluster</span> Spherical collection of stars

A globular cluster is a spheroidal conglomeration of stars that is bound together by gravity, with a higher concentration of stars towards their centers. They can contain anywhere from tens of thousands to many millions of member stars, all orbiting in a stable, compact formation. Globular clusters are similar in form to dwarf spheroidal galaxies, and the distinction between the two is not always clear. Their name is derived from Latin globulus. Globular clusters are occasionally known simply as "globulars".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elliptical galaxy</span> Spherical or ovoid mass of stars

An elliptical galaxy is a type of galaxy with an approximately ellipsoidal shape and a smooth, nearly featureless image. They are one of the four main classes of galaxy described by Edwin Hubble in his Hubble sequence and 1936 work The Realm of the Nebulae, along with spiral and lenticular galaxies. Elliptical (E) galaxies are, together with lenticular galaxies (S0) with their large-scale disks, and ES galaxies with their intermediate scale disks, a subset of the "early-type" galaxy population.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hydra (constellation)</span> Constellation straddling the celestial equator

Hydra is the largest of the 88 modern constellations, measuring 1303 square degrees, and also the longest at over 100 degrees. Its southern end borders Libra and Centaurus and its northern end borders Cancer. It was included among the 48 constellations listed by the 2nd century astronomer Ptolemy. Commonly represented as a water snake, it straddles the celestial equator.

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

The Sombrero Galaxy is a peculiar galaxy of unclear classification in the constellation borders of Virgo and Corvus, being about 9.55 megaparsecs from the Milky Way galaxy. It 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 has an isophotal diameter of approximately 29.09 to 32.32 kiloparsecs, making it slightly bigger in size than the Milky Way.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Messier 49</span> Elliptical galaxy in the constellation Virgo

Messier 49 is a giant elliptical galaxy about 56 million light-years away in the equatorial constellation of Virgo. This galaxy was discovered by astronomer Charles Messier in 1777.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Messier 95</span> Galaxy in the constellation Leo

Messier 95, also known as M95 or NGC 3351, is a barred spiral galaxy about 33 million light-years away in the zodiac constellation Leo. It was discovered by Pierre Méchain in 1781, and catalogued by compatriot Charles Messier four days later. In 2012 its most recent supernova was discovered.

The Canis Major Overdensity or Canis Major Dwarf Galaxy is a disputed dwarf irregular galaxy in the Local Group, located in the same part of the sky as the constellation Canis Major.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 4216</span> Galaxy in the constellation Virgo

NGC 4216 is a metal-rich intermediate spiral galaxy located not far from the center of the Virgo Cluster of galaxies, roughly 55 million light-years away. It is seen nearly edge-on.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 4565</span> Galaxy in the constellation Coma Berenices

NGC 4565 is an edge-on spiral galaxy about 30 to 50 million light-years away in the constellation Coma Berenices. It lies close to the North Galactic Pole and has a visual magnitude of approximately 10. It is known as the Needle Galaxy for its narrow profile. First recorded in 1785 by William Herschel, it is a prominent example of an edge-on spiral galaxy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 1427A</span> Galaxy in the constellation Fornax

NGC 1427A is an irregular galaxy in the constellation Fornax. Its distance modulus has been estimated using the globular cluster luminosity function to be 31.01 ± 0.21 which is about 52 Mly. It is the brightest dwarf irregular member of the Fornax cluster and is in the foreground of the cluster's central galaxy NGC 1399.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 1553</span> Galaxy in the constellation Dorado

NGC 1553 is a prototypical lenticular galaxy in the constellation Dorado. It is the second brightest member of the Dorado Group of galaxies. British astronomer John Herschel discovered NGC 1553 on December 5, 1834 using an 18.7 inch reflector.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 362</span> Globular cluster located in the constellation Tucana

NGC 362 is a globular cluster located in the constellation Tucana in the Southern Hemisphere, slightly north of the Small Magellanic Cloud, to which it is completely unrelated. It was discovered on August 1, 1826 by James Dunlop. It is visible to the naked eye in dark skies, and is an impressive sight in a telescope, although it is somewhat overshadowed by its larger and brighter neighbour 47 Tucanae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 4477</span> Galaxy in the constellation Coma Berenices

NGC 4477 is a barred lenticular galaxy located about 55 million light-years away in the constellation of Coma Berenices. NGC 4477 is classified as a type 2 Seyfert galaxy. The galaxy was discovered by astronomer William Herschel on April 8, 1784. NGC 4477 is a member of Markarian's Chain which forms part of the larger Virgo Cluster.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 4478</span> Galaxy in the constellation of Virgo

NGC 4478 is an elliptical galaxy located about 50 million light-years away in the constellation Virgo. NGC 4478 was discovered by astronomer William Herschel on April 12, 1784. NGC 4478 is a member of the Virgo Cluster.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 4570</span> Galaxy in the constellation Virgo

NGC 4570 is an edge-on lenticular galaxy located about 57 million light-years away in the constellation Virgo. NGC 4570 was discovered by astronomer William Herschel on April 13, 1784 and is a member of the Virgo Cluster.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 3311</span> Galaxy in the constellation Hydra

NGC 3311 is a super-giant elliptical galaxy located about 190 million light-years away in the constellation Hydra. The galaxy was discovered by astronomer John Herschel on March 30, 1835. NGC 3311 is the brightest member of the Hydra Cluster and forms a pair with NGC 3309 which along with NGC 3311, dominate the central region of the Hydra Cluster.

<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 720</span> Galaxy in the constellation Cetus

NGC 720 is an elliptical galaxy located in the constellation Cetus. It is located at a distance of circa 80 million light years from Earth, which, given its apparent dimensions, means that NGC 720 is about 110,000 light years across. It was discovered by William Herschel on October 3, 1785. The galaxy is included in the Herschel 400 Catalogue. It lies about three and a half degrees south and slightly east from zeta Ceti.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 3585</span> Galaxy in the constellation Hydra

NGC 3585 is an elliptical or a lenticular galaxy located in the constellation Hydra. It is located at a distance of circa 60 million light-years from Earth, which, given its apparent dimensions, means that NGC 3585 is about 80,000 light years across. It was discovered by William Herschel on December 9, 1784.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 1387</span> Galaxy in the constellation Fornax

NGC 1387 is a lenticular galaxy in the constellation Fornax, in the Fornax Cluster. It was discovered by William Herschel on December 25, 1835.

References

  1. 1 2 Dunbar, Brian (November 22, 2007). Watanabe, Susan (ed.). "NGC 1291". NASA. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved April 1, 2012.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database". Results for NGC 1291. Retrieved October 30, 2009.
  3. 1 2 3 Hixenbaugh, Kyle; Chandar, Rupali; Mok, Angus (2022). "The Ancient Globular Clusters of NGC 1291". The Astronomical Journal. 163 (6): 271. arXiv: 2205.14047 . Bibcode:2022AJ....163..271H. doi: 10.3847/1538-3881/ac680d . S2CID   248853311.
  4. 1 2 "NGC 1291". Capella Observatory. 2005. Retrieved April 1, 2012.
  5. ↑ Dunbar, Brian (November 22, 2007). Watanabe, Susan (ed.). "Portrait of a Galaxy's Life". NASA. Archived from the original on April 6, 2012. Retrieved April 1, 2012.



This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.