NGC 3147

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NGC 3147
NGC 3147 - HST.png
NGC 3147 by Hubble Space Telescope
Observation data (J2000 epoch)
Constellation Draco
Right ascension 10h 16m 53.7s [1]
Declination +73° 24′ 03″ [1]
Redshift 0.009346 ± 0.000003 [1]
Helio radial velocity 2,802 ± 1 km/s [1]
Distance 129 ± 29 Mly (39.6 ± 8.9 Mpc) [1]
Apparent magnitude  (V)10.6
Characteristics
Type SA(rs)bc [1]
Apparent size  (V)3.9′ × 3.5′ [1]
Notable featuresSeyfert galaxy
Other designations
UGC 5532, MCG +12-10-025, PGC 30019 [1]

NGC 3147 is a spiral galaxy located in the constellation Draco. It is located at a distance of circa 130 million light years from Earth, which, given its apparent dimensions, means that NGC 3147 is about 140,000 light years across. It was discovered by William Herschel on April 3, 1785. [2] It is a Type II Seyfert galaxy.

Contents

Structure

The galaxy has a small and bright nucleus and tightly wound multiple spiral arms. The overall appearance of the galaxy resembles that of NGC 488, however the nuclear bulge is smaller. The arms consist of spiral segments that branch after approximately one quarter of a revolution. HII regions can be detected in the arms. [3]

Active galactic nucleus

NGC 3147 has been characterised as a Seyfert II galaxy. It is considered the best candidate to be a true type II Seyfert galaxy, [4] galaxies which feature optical/UV spectrum lacking broad emission lines due to the lack of the broad line region rather than its obscuration, since the nucleus is simultaneously seen unobscured in the X-rays. [5]

The galaxy was observed simultaneously in the optical and X-ray spectrum by Bianchi et al. and concluded that the X-ray spectrum is unabsorbed while its optical spectrum lacks broad lines, a mismatch with respect to the Unification Model. [6] Birghtman et al. confirmed their findings and also noted that the hard X-ray flux dropped by a factor of ~2 between the observation by Chandra (2001) and XMM-Newton (2006). [7] Further flux variation was observed by Suzaku in 2010, confirming the variability of the source. [4] The nuclear emission in the UV band shows negligible variability. [8] Shi et al. used data from Spitzer Space Telescope and ground-based optical spectropolarimeteric observations and observed lack of polarised broad emission lines in NGC 3147. [9] NGC 3147 was observed by NuSTAR at the 3-40 keV X-ray spectrum, which is characterised by a simple power-law, with a standard Γ ~ 1.7 and an iron emission line, with no need for any further component up to ~ 40 keV. [5]

There is a debate whether the lack of broad lines detection observed with NGC 3147 is caused by the presence of a Compton-thick column with the presence of a highly ionised reflector to account for the X-ray spectrum or not. [5] Bianchi et al. rejected the presence of a Compton thick column on the grounds of low-equivalent width of the iron Kα line (≃130 eV), and of the large ratio between hard X-ray and [O III] fluxes. [6] Birghtman et al. confirmed their findings using data from XMM-Newton and Chandra. They also found that the X-ray flux is variable, meaning that the nucleus may be observed directly. However, they noted the presence of a Compton-thick column cannot be ruled out. [7] The observations by Suzaku in the hard X-rays spectrum did not cast more light, [4] but along with the observations performed by XMM-Newton put tight constraints on the column density. [5]

After the observations by NuStar in 2015, Bianchi et al. concluded that the spectral properties and the significant variability on time-scales as short as weeks strongly support an unobscured line-of-sight for the nucleus of NGC 3147 and the Compton-thick scenario is strongly disfavoured. [5]

Central black hole with thin disk

Artist's impression of NGC 3147 black hole disc. Artist's impression of NGC 3147 black hole disc.tif
Artist's impression of NGC 3147 black hole disc.

In July 2019 researchers using the Hubble Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph reported the presence of a thin disk of material around a supermassive black hole at the center of NGC 3147. The black hole is 250 million times as massive as the Sun. Black holes at the center of galaxies of such low activity have been considered to be "malnourished" or "starving", that is, little or no material would be falling into the black hole to feed it. The presence of a disk that is similar to the much brighter disks surrounding the black hole of more active galaxies was surprising, since models of low activity galaxies did not predict it. The disk is also unusual because it is deep within the gravitational well of the black hole and rotates around it at more than 10% of the speed of light. Its high velocity results in the effect known as relativistic beaming, in which the light coming from the side moving toward the Earth is brighter than that coming from the side that is receding. [11] [12]

Supernovae

Six supernovae have been discovered in NGC 3147: SN 1972H (mag. 15.1 [13] ), SN 1997bq (mag. 14.5, type Ia [14] ), SN 2006gi (mag. 15.6, type Ib [15] ), SN 2008fv (mag. 14.8, type Ia [16] ), SN 2021do (mag. 20, type Ic), [17] and SN 2021hpr (mag. 13.8, type Ia [18] ).

Nearby galaxies

NGC 3147 is the brightest galaxy in the NGC 3147 group, which also includes NGC 3155, UGC 5570, UGC 5686, and UGC 5689. A bit further away lie NGC 3183, NGC 3348, NGC 3364, and NGC 3516. [19]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seyfert galaxy</span> Class of active galaxies with very bright nuclei

Seyfert galaxies are one of the two largest groups of active galaxies, along with quasars. They have quasar-like nuclei with very high surface brightnesses whose spectra reveal strong, high-ionisation emission lines, but unlike quasars, their host galaxies are clearly detectable.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 1275</span> Seyfert galaxy in the constellation Perseus

NGC 1275 is a type 1.5 Seyfert galaxy located around 237 million light-years away in the direction of the constellation Perseus. NGC 1275 corresponds to the radio galaxy Perseus A and is situated near the center of the large Perseus Cluster of galaxies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 3227</span> Galaxy in the constellation Leo

NGC 3227 is an intermediate spiral galaxy that is interacting with the dwarf elliptical galaxy NGC 3226. The two galaxies are one of several examples of a spiral with a dwarf elliptical companion that are listed in the Atlas of Peculiar Galaxies. Both galaxies may be found in the constellation Leo. It is a member of the NGC 3227 Group of galaxies, which is a member of the Leo II Groups, a series of galaxies and galaxy clusters strung out from the right edge of the Virgo Supercluster.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 4151</span> Galaxy in the constellation Canes Venatici

NGC 4151 is an intermediate spiral Seyfert galaxy with weak inner ring structure located 15.8 megaparsecs from Earth in the constellation Canes Venatici. The galaxy was first mentioned by William Herschel on March 17, 1787; it was one of the six Seyfert galaxies described in the paper which defined the term. It is one of the nearest galaxies to Earth to contain an actively growing supermassive black hole. The black hole would have a mass on the order of 2.5 million to 30 million solar masses. It was speculated that the nucleus may host a binary black hole, with about 40 million and about 10 million solar masses respectively, orbiting with a 15.8-year period. This is, however, still a matter of active debate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 1566</span> Galaxy in the constellation Dorado

NGC 1566, sometimes known as the Spanish Dancer, is an intermediate spiral galaxy in the constellation Dorado, positioned about 3.5° to the south of the star Gamma Doradus. It was discovered on May 28, 1826 by Scottish astronomer James Dunlop. At 10th magnitude, it requires a telescope to view. The distance to this galaxy remains elusive, with measurements ranging from 6 Mpc up to 21 Mpc.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 4639</span> Galaxy in the constellation Virgo

NGC 4639 is a barred spiral galaxy located in the equatorial constellation of Virgo. It was discovered by German-born astronomer William Herschel on April 12, 1784. John L. E. Dreyer described it as "pretty bright, small, extended, mottled but not resolved, 12th magnitude star 1 arcmin to southeast". This is a relatively nearby galaxy, lying approximately 72 million light-years away from the Milky Way. It is a companion to NGC 4654, and the two appear to have interacted roughly 500 million years ago. NGC 4639 is a member of the Virgo Cluster.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 7424</span> Galaxy in the constellation Grus

NGC 7424 is a barred spiral galaxy located 37.5 million light-years away in the southern constellation Grus. Its size makes it similar to our own galaxy, the Milky Way. It is called a "grand design" galaxy because of its well defined spiral arms. Two supernovae and two ultraluminous X-ray sources have been discovered in NGC 7424.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 4102</span> Galaxy in the constellation Ursa Major

NGC 4102 is an intermediate barred spiral galaxy located in the northern constellation of Ursa Major. It is visible in a small telescope and has an apparent visual magnitude of 11.2. The galaxy was discovered April 12, 1789 by William Herschel. J. L. E. Dreyer described it as "bright, pretty small, round, brighter middle and bright nucleus". This galaxy is located at a distance of 60 million light years and is receding with a heliocentric radial velocity of 837 km/s. It is a member of the Ursa Major group of galaxies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 5643</span> Galaxy in the constellation Lupus

NGC 5643 is an intermediate spiral galaxy in the constellation Lupus. Based on the tip of the red-giant branch distance indicator, it is located at a distance of about 40 million light-years. NGC 5643 has an active galactic nucleus and is a type II Seyfert galaxy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 4424</span> Spiral galaxy in the constellation Virgo

NGC 4424 is a spiral galaxy located in the equatorial constellation of Virgo. It was discovered February 27, 1865 by German astronomer Heinrich Louis d'Arrest. This galaxy is located at a distance of 13.5 million light years and is receding with a heliocentric radial velocity of 442 km/s. It has a morphological class of SB(s)a, which normally indicates a spiral galaxy with a barred structure (SB), no inner ring feature (s), and tightly-wound spiral arms (a). The galactic plane is inclined at an angle of 62° to the line of sight from the Earth. It is a likely member of the Virgo Cluster of galaxies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 3941</span> Galaxy in the constellation Ursa Major

NGC 3941 is a barred lenticular galaxy located in the constellation Ursa Major. It is located at a distance of circa 40 million light years from Earth, which, given its apparent dimensions, means that NGC 3941 is about 40,000 light years across. It was discovered by William Herschel in 1787.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 3631</span> Galaxy in the constellation Ursa Major

NGC 3631 is a spiral galaxy located in the constellation Ursa Major. It is located at a distance of about 35 million light years from Earth, which, given its apparent dimensions, means that NGC 3631 is about 60,000 light years across. It was discovered by William Herschel on April 14, 1789. It is a grand design spiral galaxy seen face on.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 3861</span> Galaxy in the constellation Leo

NGC 3861 is a large barred spiral galaxy with a ring-like structure located about 310 million light-years away in the constellation Leo. It was discovered by astronomer John Herschel on March 23, 1827. NGC 3861 is a member of the Leo Cluster and has a normal amount of neutral hydrogen and ionised hydrogen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 7469</span> Galaxy located in the constellation Pegasus

NGC 7469 is an intermediate spiral galaxy in the constellation of Pegasus. NGC 7469 is located about 200 million light-years away from Earth, which means, given its apparent dimensions, that NGC 7469 is approximately 90,000 light-years across. It was discovered by William Herschel on November 12, 1784.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 3367</span> Spiral galaxy in the constellation Leo

NGC 3367 is a barred spiral galaxy located in the constellation Leo. It is located at a distance of about 120 million light years from Earth, which, given its apparent dimensions, means that NGC 3367 is about 85,000 light years across. It was discovered by William Herschel on March 19, 1784.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 4939</span> Spiral galaxy in the constellation Virgo

NGC 4939 is a spiral galaxy located in the constellation Virgo. It is located at a distance of about 120 million light years from Earth, which, given its apparent dimensions, means that NGC 4939 is about 190,000 light years across. It was discovered by William Herschel on March 25, 1786.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 7130</span> Galaxy in the constellation Piscis Austrinus

NGC 7130 is a spiral galaxy located in the constellation Piscis Austrinus. It is located at a distance of about 220 million light years from Earth, which, given its apparent dimensions, means that NGC 7130 is about 100,000 light years across. It was discovered by John Herschel on September 25, 1834, and discovered independently by Lewis Swift on September 17, 1897. The location of the galaxy given in the New General Catalogue was off by 30 arcminutes in declination from the location of the galaxy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 2273</span> Galaxy in the constellation Lynx

NGC 2273 is a barred spiral galaxy located in the constellation Lynx. It is located at a distance of circa 95 million light years from Earth, which, given its apparent dimensions, means that NGC 2273 is about 100,000 light years across. It was discovered by Nils Dunér on September 15, 1867.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 931</span> Galaxy in the constellation Triangulum

NGC 931 is a spiral galaxy located in the constellation Triangulum. It is located at a distance of circa 200 million light-years from Earth, which, given its apparent dimensions, means that NGC 931 is about 200,000 light years across. It was discovered by Heinrich d'Arrest on September 26, 1865. It is classified as a Seyfert galaxy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 3393</span> Galaxy in the constellation Hydra

NGC 3393 is a barred spiral galaxy located in the constellation Hydra. It is located at a distance of circa 180 million light-years from Earth, which, given its apparent dimensions, means that NGC 3393 is about 140,000 light-years across. It was discovered by John Herschel on March 24, 1835. It is a Type II Seyfert galaxy. The galaxy is known to host two supermassive black holes, which are the nearest known pair of supermassive black holes to Earth.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database". Results for NGC 3147. Retrieved 2016-01-18.
  2. ↑ NGC 3147 cseligman.com
  3. ↑ Sandage, A.; Bedke, J. (1994). The Carnegie Atlas of Galaxies, Volume 1. Carnegie Institution of Washington. p. 20.
  4. 1 2 3 Matt, G.; Bianchi, S.; Guainazzi, M.; Barcons, X.; Panessa, F. (6 April 2012). "The Suzaku X-ray spectrum of NGC 3147". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 540: A111. arXiv: 1204.0946 . Bibcode:2012A&A...540A.111M. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201118729. S2CID   59123588.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 Bianchi, Stefano; Marinucci, Andrea; Matt, Giorgio; Middei, Riccardo; Barcons, Xavier; Bassani, Loredana; Carrera, Francisco J.; La Franca, Fabio; Panessa, Francesca (July 2017). "The NuSTAR view of the true type 2 Seyfert NGC 3147". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 468 (3): 2740–2744. arXiv: 1703.04586 . Bibcode:2017MNRAS.468.2740B. doi:10.1093/mnras/stx662. S2CID   9282918.
  6. 1 2 Bianchi, S.; Corral, A.; Panessa, F.; Barcons, X.; Matt, G.; Bassani, L.; Carrera, F. J.; Jiménez-Bailón, E. (31 January 2008). "NGC 3147: a 'true' type 2 Seyfert galaxy without the broad-line region". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 385 (1): 195–199. arXiv: 0710.4226 . Bibcode:2008MNRAS.385..195B. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2007.12625.x. S2CID   8859750.
  7. 1 2 Brightman, Murray; Nandra, Kirpal (1 November 2008). "On the nature of unabsorbed Seyfert 2 galaxies". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 390 (3): 1241–1249. arXiv: 0808.2385 . Bibcode:2008MNRAS.390.1241B. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2008.13841.x. S2CID   17253782.
  8. ↑ Andreoni, I.; D'Avanzo, P.; Campana, S.; Branchesi, M.; Bernardini, M. G.; Della Valle, M.; Mannucci, F.; Melandri, A.; Tagliaferri, G. (4 March 2016). "A time domain experiment with Swift: monitoring of seven nearby galaxies". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 587: A147. arXiv: 1601.03739 . Bibcode:2016A&A...587A.147A. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201527167. S2CID   119187239.
  9. ↑ Shi, Yong; Rieke, George H.; Smith, Paul; Rigby, Jane; Hines, Dean; Donley, Jennifer; Schmidt, Gary; Diamond-Stanic, Aleksandar M. (1 May 2010). "Unobscured Type 2 Active Galactic Nuclei". The Astrophysical Journal. 714 (1): 115–129. arXiv: 1004.2077 . Bibcode:2010ApJ...714..115S. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/714/1/115. S2CID   119106848.
  10. ↑ "Hubble Discovers Mysterious Black Hole Disc". www.spacetelescope.org. Retrieved 13 July 2019.
  11. ↑ "Hubble discovers mysterious black hole disc", ESA/Hubble Information Center news release, 11 July 2019.
  12. ↑ "Hubble uncovers black hole that shouldn't exist", NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center news release, 11 July 2019.
  13. ↑ "1972H - The Open Supernova Catalog". sne.space. Archived from the original on 2018-04-26. Retrieved 2018-04-25.
  14. ↑ "1997bq - The Open Supernova Catalog". sne.space. Archived from the original on 2018-04-26. Retrieved 2018-04-25.
  15. ↑ "2006gi - The Open Supernova Catalog". sne.space. Archived from the original on 2018-04-26. Retrieved 2018-04-25.
  16. ↑ "2008fv - The Open Supernova Catalog". sne.space. Archived from the original on 2018-04-26. Retrieved 2018-04-25.
  17. ↑ Transient Name Server entry for SN 2021do. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
  18. ↑ "2008fv - The Open Supernova Catalog". sne.space. Archived from the original on 2021-04-12. Retrieved 2021-04-12.
  19. ↑ Makarov, Dmitry; Karachentsev, Igor (21 April 2011). "Galaxy groups and clouds in the local (z~ 0.01) Universe". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 412 (4): 2498–2520. arXiv: 1011.6277 . Bibcode:2011MNRAS.412.2498M. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2010.18071.x. S2CID   119194025. Archived from the original on 31 January 2016. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
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