NGC 1373 | |
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![]() DSS image of NGC 1373. | |
Observation data (J2000 epoch) | |
Constellation | Fornax (constellation) |
Right ascension | 03h 34m 59.2s [1] |
Declination | −35° 10′ 16″ [1] |
Redshift | 0.004450 [1] |
Heliocentric radial velocity | 1334 km/s [1] |
Distance | 61.13 Mly (18.744 Mpc) [1] |
Group or cluster | Fornax Cluster |
Apparent magnitude (V) | 14.1 [1] |
Absolute magnitude (V) | −18.77 [2] |
Characteristics | |
Type | E+ [1] |
Mass | 1.3×109 (Stellar mass)/6×1010 (Total Mass) [3] M☉ |
Size | ~18,800 ly (5.76 kpc) (estimated) [1] |
Apparent size (V) | 1.1 x 0.9 [1] |
Other designations | |
ESO 358- G 021, MCG -06-08-028, FCC 143, PGC 013252 [1] |
NGC 1373 is a dwarf elliptical galaxy [4] located 61 million light years away [5] in constellation of Fornax. The galaxy was discovered by astronomer John Herschel on November 29, 1837, [6] and is a member of the Fornax Cluster. [7] NGC 1373 is a host to a supermassive black hole with an estimated mass of 4.6 million solar masses. [8]
63 known globular clusters have been observed surrounding NGC 1373, [9] along with 13 observed planetary nebulae. [10]
NGC 1373 is one of the most compact and faint elliptical galaxies in the Fornax Cluster. [11] As NGC 1373 is a compact elliptical galaxy, in the Fornax Cluster, it is expected to have older and more metal-rich populations of stars than similar compact elliptical galaxies of lower masses. It is thought that NGC 1373 originated as a more extended galaxy that transformed into a compact dwarf as it fell falling through the cluster. [12]
NGC 1373 appears to be interacting with the galaxy NGC 1374 and is separated from the galaxy by a distance of around 980,000 ly (0.3 Mpc ). [10] This is evident as observations using the VLT Survey Telescope reveal the presence of a faint filament of matter connecting the two galaxies. [13]