NGC 4278

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NGC 4278
NGC4278 - HST - Judy Schmidt, cropped.png
NGC 4278 by the Hubble Space Telescope
Observation data (J2000 epoch)
Constellation Coma Berenices
Right ascension 12h 20m 06.8s [1]
Declination +29° 16′ 51″ [1]
Redshift 0.002068 ± 0.000017 [1]
Heliocentric radial velocity 620 ± 5 km/s [1]
Distance 55.1 ± 19 Mly (16.9 ± 5.9 Mpc) [1]
Group or cluster Coma I
Apparent magnitude  (V)10.2 [2]
Characteristics
Type E1-2 [1]
Apparent size  (V)4.1′ × 3.8′ [1]
Notable featuresLINER
Other designations
UGC 7386, CGCG 158-077, MCG +05-29-062, B2 1217+29, PGC 39764 [1]

NGC 4278 is an elliptical galaxy located in the constellation Coma Berenices. It is located at a distance of circa 55 million light years from Earth, which, given its apparent dimensions, means that NGC 4278 is about 65,000 light years across. It was discovered by William Herschel on March 13, 1785. [3] NGC 4278 is part of the Herschel 400 Catalogue and can be found about one and 3/4 of a degree northwest of Gamma Comae Berenices even with a small telescope. [4]

Contents

Charasteristics

NGC 4278 is an elliptical galaxy. Its nucleus has been found to be active (AGN) and based on its spectrum has been identified as a LINER. [5] The most accepted theory for the power source of active galactic nuclei is the presence of an accretion disk around a supermassive black hole. In the centre of NGC 4278 lies a supermassive black hole with an estimated mass (3.09±0.54)×108  M☉ based on stellar velocity dispersion. [6] The X-ray emission of the nucleus is consistent with one of a black hole fed by a low radiative efficiency accretion flow. [7]

The nucleus is a source of radio waves and two small symmetric S-shaped radio jets have been observed spanning for 20 mas each, which corresponds to 1.4 parsec at the distance of NGC 4278, emanating from the central source. [8] The nucleus also hosts a compact ultraviolet source, which features strong variability in the form of flares. One such flare was observed between June 1994 and January 1995, when the nuclear source became 1.6 times brighter in six months. Similar flares have also being observed in other low luminosity AGN. [9]

The central region of NGC 4278, with the dust features, by Hubble Space Telescope Ngc4278-hst-R850GB475.jpg
The central region of NGC 4278, with the dust features, by Hubble Space Telescope

Variability has also being observed in X-rays. The galaxy has been found to brighten 5 times within three years, while fluctuations have been observed in shorter time periods, even within an hour, with the flux increasing by a factor of 10% in one observation by XMM-Newton. The spectrum obtained by XMM-Newton can be accounted for by an absorbed power-law, with column density of the order of 1020 cm-2. The FeKα emission line has not been detected, as is typical for LINERs. The spectral energy distribution of NGC 4278 resembles a LINER at lower fluxes while at higher fluxes it resembles a low luminosity Seyfert galaxy. [10]

Dust features have been observed in the central part of the galaxy [11] and the area that appears northwest of the nucleus. The dust forms knots and filaments that spiral down to the nucleus. [12] Moreover, the galaxy, contrary to most elliptical galaxies which lack neutral hydrogen emission, has been found to possess a massive HI disk, probably formed after the accretion of a dwarf satellite galaxy. [13] The total mass of the HI disk is estimated to be 6.9×108 M☉. The disk rotates at the same sense as the stars, but is misaligned by 20° to 70°. [14] Molecular clouds, as pointed by CO emission, have also been detected in the galaxy. [15]

The galaxy has been observed with the InfraRed Spectrograph (IRS) onboard Spitzer Space Telescope, examining the dust features of NGC 4278. Multiphase gas and dust have been observed in the same elongated features. Another uncommon finding for an elliptical galaxy is the detection of emission by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and of strong [Si II] 34.8-μm emission. PAHs in other elliptical galaxies are believed to be destroyed by the hot interstellar medium. Emission by molecular hydrogen and ionised gas has also been reported. The observed emission of the gas in the nuclear region has been suggested to be the result of the accretion of cold gas by the HI disk. [16]

NGC 4278 is home to a larger than average number of globular clusters compared with galaxies of similar luminosity, with an estimated total number of 1378+32
−194. As it has been found in other galaxies, the colour distribution of the globular clusters in the galaxy features bimodiality, with the clusters forming a red and a blue subpopulation. The blue clusters have been found to be larger than the red ones at the same galactocentric distance, while the size of the clusters increases with galactocentric radius. [17]

Nearby galaxies

NGC 4278 with NGC 4283 (left). NGC 4278 & 4283 - HST - Judy Schmidt.png
NGC 4278 with NGC 4283 (left).

NGC 4278 has been identified as a member of a galaxy group known as NGC 4274 or NGC 4062 group. Other members of this group are NGC 4020, NGC 4062, NGC 4136, NGC 4173, NGC 4203, NGC 4245, NGC 4251, NGC 4274, NGC 4283, NGC 4310, NGC 4314, NGC 4359, NGC 4414, NGC 4509, and NGC 4525. [18] Another survey placed NGC 4278 in the same group with NGC 4631, NGC 4656, NGC 4559, NGC 4448, and NGC 4414. [19] It is part of the Coma I Group which is part of the Virgo Supercluster. [20] [21]

NGC 4283 lies 3.5 arcminutes to the northeast and NGC 4286 9 arcminutes northeast of NGC 4278 in the sky. [22] NGC 4274 lies about 20 arcminutes north of NGC 4278. [4]

See also

Related Research Articles

An active galactic nucleus (AGN) is a compact region at the center of a galaxy that emits a significant amount of energy across the electromagnetic spectrum, with characteristics indicating that the luminosity is not produced by stars. Such excess, non-stellar emissions have been observed in the radio, microwave, infrared, optical, ultra-violet, X-ray and gamma ray wavebands. A galaxy hosting an AGN is called an active galaxy. The non-stellar radiation from an AGN is theorized to result from the accretion of matter by a supermassive black hole at the center of its host galaxy.

<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">Messier 87</span> Elliptical galaxy in the Virgo Galaxy Cluster

Messier 87 is a supergiant elliptical galaxy in the constellation Virgo that contains several trillion stars. One of the largest and most massive galaxies in the local universe, it has a large population of globular clusters—about 15,000 compared with the 150–200 orbiting the Milky Way—and a jet of energetic plasma that originates at the core and extends at least 1,500 parsecs, traveling at a relativistic speed. It is one of the brightest radio sources in the sky and a popular target for both amateur and professional astronomers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lenticular galaxy</span> Class of galaxy between an elliptical galaxy and a spiral galaxy

A lenticular galaxy is a type of galaxy intermediate between an elliptical and a spiral galaxy in galaxy morphological classification schemes. It contains a large-scale disc but does not have large-scale spiral arms. Lenticular galaxies are disc galaxies that have used up or lost most of their interstellar matter and therefore have very little ongoing star formation. They may, however, retain significant dust in their disks. As a result, they consist mainly of aging stars. Despite the morphological differences, lenticular and elliptical galaxies share common properties like spectral features and scaling relations. Both can be considered early-type galaxies that are passively evolving, at least in the local part of the Universe. Connecting the E galaxies with the S0 galaxies are the ES galaxies with intermediate-scale discs.

<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 89</span> Elliptical galaxy in the constellation Virgo

Messier 89 is an elliptical galaxy in the constellation Virgo. It was discovered by Charles Messier on March 18, 1781. M89 is a member of the Virgo 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 3226</span> Dwarf elliptical galaxy in the constellation Leo

NGC 3226 is a dwarf elliptical galaxy that is interacting with the spiral galaxy NGC 3227. 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 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 6166</span> Galaxy in the constellation Hercules

NGC 6166 is an elliptical galaxy in the Abell 2199 cluster. It lies 490 million light years away in the constellation Hercules. The primary galaxy in the cluster, it is one of the most luminous galaxies known in terms of X-ray emissions.

<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 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 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 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 1395</span> Galaxy in the constellation Eridanus

NGC 1395 is an elliptical galaxy located in the constellation Eridanus. It is located at a distance of circa 75 million light years from Earth, which, given its apparent dimensions, means that NGC 1395 is about 130,000 light years across. It was discovered by William Herschel on November 17, 1784. It is a member of the Eridanus Cluster.

<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">IC 1459</span> Elliptical galaxy in the constellation of Grus

IC 1459 is an elliptical galaxy located in the constellation Grus. It is located at a distance of circa 85 million light-years from Earth, which, given its apparent dimensions, means that IC 1459 is about 130,000 light-years across. It was discovered by Edward Emerson Barnard in 1892.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 1142</span> Interacting and distorted spiral galaxy in the constellation Cetus

NGC 1142 is a distorted spiral galaxy in the constellation of Cetus. It is located about 370 million light years away from Earth, which means, given its apparent dimensions, that NGC 1142 is approximately 170,000 light years across. It is a type 2 Seyfert galaxy. It interacts with the elliptical galaxy NGC 1141.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database". Results for NGC 4278. Retrieved 2019-01-18.
  2. ↑ "Revised NGC Data for NGC 4278". spider.seds.org. Retrieved 25 November 2018.
  3. ↑ Seligman, Courtney. "NGC 4278 (= PGC 39764)". Celestial Atlas. Retrieved 19 November 2018.
  4. 1 2 O'Meara, Steve (2007). Herschel 400 Observing Guide. Cambridge University Press. p. 174. ISBN   978-0-521-85893-9.
  5. ↑ Ho, Luis C.; Filippenko, Alexei V.; Sargent, Wallace L. W. (October 1997). "A Search for "Dwarf" Seyfert Nuclei. III. Spectroscopic Parameters and Properties of the Host Galaxies". The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series. 112 (2): 315–390. arXiv: astro-ph/9704107 . Bibcode:1997ApJS..112..315H. doi:10.1086/313041. S2CID   17086638.
  6. ↑ Wang, T.-G.; Zhang, X.-G. (11 April 2003). "The size of the broad-line regions in dwarf active galaxies". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 340 (3): 793–798. Bibcode:2003MNRAS.340..793W. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-8711.2003.06336.x .
  7. ↑ Pellegrini, Silvia; Wang, Junfeng; Fabbiano, Giuseppina; Kim, Dong-Woo; Brassington, Nicola J.; Gallagher, John S.; Trinchieri, Ginevra; Zezas, Andreas (20 October 2012). "Agn Activity and the Misaligned Hot Ism in the Compact Radio Elliptical NGC 4278". The Astrophysical Journal. 758 (2): 94. arXiv: 1206.2533 . Bibcode:2012ApJ...758...94P. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/758/2/94. S2CID   17608488.
  8. ↑ Giroletti, M.; Taylor, G. B.; Giovannini, G. (20 March 2005). "The Two-sided Parsec-Scale Structure of the Low-Luminosity Active Galactic Nucleus in NGC 4278". The Astrophysical Journal. 622 (1): 178–186. arXiv: astro-ph/0412563 . Bibcode:2005ApJ...622..178G. doi:10.1086/427898. S2CID   15800728.
  9. ↑ Cardullo, A.; Corsini, E. M.; Beifiori, A.; Buson, L. M.; Dalla Bontà, E.; Morelli, L.; Pizzella, A.; Bertola, F. (4 November 2009). "The ultraviolet flare at the center of the elliptical galaxy NGC 4278". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 508 (2): 641–644. arXiv: 0909.4048 . Bibcode:2009A&A...508..641C. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/200913046. S2CID   17543152.
  10. ↑ Younes, G.; Porquet, D.; Sabra, B.; Grosso, N.; Reeves, J. N.; Allen, M. G. (28 July 2010). "X-ray and multiwavelength view of NGC 4278". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 517: A33. arXiv: 1004.5134 . doi: 10.1051/0004-6361/201014371 .
  11. ↑ Lauer, Tod R.; Faber, S. M.; Gebhardt, Karl; Richstone, Douglas; Tremaine, Scott; Ajhar, Edward A.; Aller, M. C.; Bender, Ralf; Dressler, Alan; Filippenko, Alexei V.; Green, Richard; Grillmair, Carl J.; Ho, Luis C.; Kormendy, John; Magorrian, John; Pinkney, Jason; Siopis, Christos (May 2005). "The Centers of Early-Type Galaxies with Hubble Space Telescopes. V. New WFPC2 Photometry". The Astronomical Journal. 129 (5): 2138–2185. arXiv: astro-ph/0412040 . Bibcode:2005AJ....129.2138L. doi:10.1086/429565. S2CID   15473461.
  12. ↑ Carollo, C. Marcella; Franx, Marijn; Illingworth, Garth D.; Forbes, Duncan A. (June 1997). "Ellipticals with Kinematically Distinct Cores: V - I Color Images with WPFC2". The Astrophysical Journal. 481 (2): 710–734. arXiv: astro-ph/9701218 . Bibcode:1997ApJ...481..710C. doi:10.1086/304060. S2CID   18541174.
  13. ↑ Raimond, E.; Faber, S. M.; Gallagher, J. S. III; Knapp, G. R. (June 1981). "H I synthesis observations of the elliptical galaxy NGC 4278". The Astrophysical Journal. 246: 708. Bibcode:1981ApJ...246..708R. doi:10.1086/158967.
  14. ↑ Morganti, R.; De Zeeuw, P. T.; Oosterloo, T. A.; McDermid, R. M.; Krajnović, D.; Cappellari, M.; Kenn, F.; Weijmans, A.; Sarzi, M. (1 August 2006). "Neutral hydrogen in nearby elliptical and lenticular galaxies: the continuing formation of early-type galaxies". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 371 (1): 157–169. arXiv: astro-ph/0606261 . Bibcode:2006MNRAS.371..157M. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2006.10681.x. S2CID   14951735.
  15. ↑ Combes, F.; Young, L. M.; Bureau, M. (1 June 2007). "Molecular gas and star formation in the SAURON early-type galaxies". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 377 (4): 1795–1807. arXiv: astro-ph/0703557 . Bibcode:2007MNRAS.377.1795C. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2007.11759.x. S2CID   18751018.
  16. ↑ Tang, Yuping; Gu, Qiusheng; Zhang, Shuinai; Tang, Baitian (1 July 2011). "Multiphase dusty gas in the centre of NGC 4278". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 414 (3): 1827–1839. arXiv: 1101.0965 . Bibcode:2011MNRAS.414.1827T. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2011.18267.x. S2CID   117811875.
  17. ↑ Usher, Christopher; Forbes, Duncan A.; Spitler, Lee R.; Brodie, Jean P.; Romanowsky, Aaron J.; Strader, Jay; Woodley, Kristin A. (1 December 2013). "The SLUGGS Survey: wide field imaging of the globular cluster system of NGC 4278". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 436 (2): 1172–1190. arXiv: 1308.6585 . Bibcode:2013MNRAS.436.1172U. doi:10.1093/mnras/stt1637. S2CID   53523299.
  18. ↑ Garcia, A. M. (1993). "General study of group membership. II - Determination of nearby groups". Astronomy and Astrophysics Supplement Series. 100 (1): 47–90. Bibcode:1993A&AS..100...47G. ISSN   0365-0138.
  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 29 January 2019.
  20. ↑ Gregory, Stephen A.; Thompson, Laird A. (April 1977). "The Coma i Galaxy Cloud". The Astrophysical Journal. 213: 345–350. Bibcode:1977ApJ...213..345G. doi:10.1086/155160. ISSN   0004-637X.
  21. ↑ Forbes, Duncan A. (October 1996). "Globular Cluster Luminosity Functions and the Hubble Constant From WFPC Imaging: Galaxies in the Coma I Cloud". The Astronomical Journal. 112: 1409. arXiv: astro-ph/9611139 . Bibcode:1996AJ....112.1409F. doi:10.1086/118108. S2CID   118922735.
  22. ↑ Nilson, P. (1973) Uppsala General Catalogue of Galaxies, Acta Universitatis Upsalienis, Nova Regiae Societatis Upsaliensis, Series V: A Vol. 1
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